University Links, News & Events

University Links

‘University Links’ is a network of UFAW Links people, members and supporters at universities and colleges around the UK and overseas, reflecting both UFAW’s origins and the tremendous growth in interest in animal welfare science within these institutions.

The aims of the University Links scheme are to promote animal welfare science and the objectives of UFAW while providing a forum for the involvement of members and supporters.

For contact details, news and events for each institution, click on the institution’s name below

At present 27 academic institutions have UFAW Links:

 

Anglia Ruskin University
Contact: Dr Charlotte Nevison, Dept of Life Sciences
Email: charlotte.nevison@anglia.ac.uk

 

ARU uses part of their link monies to support the 'The UFAW prize for the best undergraduate thesis on an animal welfare topic'’.

 

 

University of Bristol
Contact: Dr David Main, Dept of Clinical Veterinary Science
Email: D.C.J.Main@bristol.ac.uk
Or Professor Mike Mendl, Dept of Clinical Veterinary Science
Email: Mike.Mendl@bristol.ac.uk

See http://www.vetschool.bris.ac.uk/research/abw/ for further details.

The UFAW Links at Bristol, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow universities have joined forces and agreed to use some of their link monies to support an away ‘Walk and Talk’ weekend for their post-graduate students. During this weekend they will present their animal welfare work to their peers and discuss issues arising from it, get to know each other better and develop new contacts and collaborations. UFAW was happy to support this initiative because a trial last year, organised by the University of Bristol, had proved to be very successful and resulted in a fruitful exchange of ideas and techniques.

Bristol also uses part of their link monies to award prizes to undergraduates on the their BVSc and Animal Behaviour and Welfare BSC courses in recognition of the individual students achievements in the field of animal welfare science. Specifically, these are: the UFAW prize for best 1st year BVSc welfare & ethics group project, the UFAW prize for best 3rd Year VNPA welfare & ethics individual project and the UFAW prize for best dissertation on Animal Behaviour & Welfare degree.

 

Congratulations are extended to this year’s prize winners:

Andre Kortum (BVSc, year 1) Eleanor Haskey (BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing, year 3) and Peter Hiscox (BSc (Hons) Behaviour and Welfare).

 

 

University of British Columbia

Contact: Professor David Fraser, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Centre for Applied Ethics

Email: dfraser@interchange.ubc.ca

 

 

University of Chester
Contact: Dr Tessa Ellen Smith, Dept of Biological Sciences
Email: tessa.smith@chester.ac.uk

 

University College Dublin

Contact: Dr Alison Hanlon, Veterinary Sciences Centre

Email: alison.hanlon@ucd.ie

The 42nd Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE) will be held at O'Reilly Hall, University College Dublin (UCD) from 5 to 9 August 2008. The key theme is 'Applied Ethology: Addressing Future Challenges in Animal Agriculture'. The overall aim of the ISAE 2008 is to provide behavioural solutions to the challenges facing animal agriculture.  In essence, such solutions are more ethical, less costly, less reliant on drugs and fossil fuels and therefore more sustainable than other forms of intervention.  In addition there are six sub themes in the scientific programme:
- Applied ethology in organic and pasture-based production systems
- Novel indicators of animal welfare
- Applied ethology and animal breeding
- Automated data collections systems
- Behavioural problems of domestic animals
For those who enjoy a more interactive experience, six workshops have been introduced for ISAE 2008:
1. Usefulness of resting behaviour as a tool for assessing the welfare of farm animals
2. Environmental enrichment: a valuable tool to improve the welfare of zoo animals?
3. Promoting Applied Ethology Worldwide
4. The influence of genetics and breeding on farm animal welfare
5. Mother-offspring behaviour in polytocous animals
6. Intra- and inter-specific acoustic communication of farm animals

For more information and to register go to www.isae2008.com
We look forward to welcoming you to Dublin!
Alison Hanlon
UCD UFAW University Links person

 

University of Edinburgh
Contact: Dr Christine Moinard, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre
Email: christine.moinard@sac.ac.uk

http://www.vet.ed.ac.uk/animalbehaviour/

The UFAW Links at Bristol, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow universities have joined forces and agreed to use some of their link monies to support an away ‘Walk and Talk’ weekend for their post-graduate students. During this weekend they will present their animal welfare work to their peers and discuss issues arising from it, get to know each other better and develop new contacts and collaborations. UFAW was happy to support this initiative because a trial last year, organised by the University of Bristol, had proved to be very successful and resulted in a fruitful exchange of ideas and techniques.

 

 

Professor Peter Sandøe, Professor in Bioethics at The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen, was invited by UFAW link universities Edinburgh and Glasgow to give a seminar at the University of Glasgow on 25th April 2007. Professor Sandøe presented an animated and interesting talk on: ‘Veterinary treatment of companion animals – What are the ethical limits?’ There are many issues involved in this often difficult area and this informative presentation prompted a period of lively debate amongst students, lecturers and other interested parties who attended.

Professor Sandøe is Chairman of the Danish Ethical Council for Animals and president of The European Society for Agricultural and Food Ethics and since 1990 the major part of his research has been within bioethics with particular emphasis on ethical issues related to animals, biotechnology and food production. He is committed to interdisciplinary work combining perspectives from natural science, social sciences and philosophy.

 

 

Estonian University of Life Sciences

Contact: Dr David Arney, Institute of Veterinary Medicine & Animal Sciences

Email: david.arney@emu.ee

On 8th November, Prof. Hannu Saloniemi was invited to the Estonian University of Life Sciences, to give a talk entitled: Animal Welfare - from Science to Practice. This event was also a promotion of the UFAW link scheme to members of the university. An audience of over 70 students and staff attended the lecture which covered a history of animal science and welfare, particularly in Finland, and a report of the Research Centre for Animal Welfare at the University of Helsinki.

At the end of the talk there was an introduction to UFAW, and a discussion of the opportunities this opens up to students and staff to collaborate in both science and education, and promote animal welfare both in their own country and elsewhere.

 

 

University of Glasgow
Contact: Dr Dorothy McKeegan, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Email: d.mckeegan@vet.gla.ac.uk

 

The UFAW Links at Bristol, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow universities have joined forces and agreed to use some of their link monies to support an away ‘Walk and Talk’ weekend for their post-graduate students. During this weekend they will present their animal welfare work to their peers and discuss issues arising from it, get to know each other better and develop new contacts and collaborations. UFAW was happy to support this initiative because a trial last year, organised by the University of Bristol, had proved to be very successful and resulted in a fruitful exchange of ideas and techniques.

 

Professor Peter Sandøe, Professor in Bioethics at The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen, was invited by UFAW link universities Edinburgh and Glasgow to give a seminar at the University of Glasgow on 25th April 2007. Professor Sandøe presented an animated and interesting talk on: ‘Veterinary treatment of companion animals – What are the ethical limits?’ There are many issues involved in this often difficult area and this informative presentation prompted a period of lively debate amongst students, lecturers and other interested parties who attended.

Professor Sandøe is Chairman of the Danish Ethical Council for Animals and president of The European Society for Agricultural and Food Ethics and since 1990 the major part of his research has been within bioethics with particular emphasis on ethical issues related to animals, biotechnology and food production. He is committed to interdisciplinary work combining perspectives from natural science, social sciences and philosophy.

 

University of Guelph

Contact: Dr Georgia Mason, Animal Sciences Department

Email: gmason@uoguelph.ca

 

On the 28th April, the inaugural Campbell Centre for Animal Welfare 'Research Day’ will be held (http://www.uoguelph.ca/csaw/index.htm). Talking at this meeting, with the support of the UFAW link scheme, will be Dr Ron Swaisgood (UCLA / San Diego Zoo) whose keynote speech will explore the role of stress reduction in the successful breeding of captive endangered species (esp. giant pandas in China). Anyone wishing to contribute an abstract to this meeting should contact Dr Georgia Mason. Click here for further details on submitting a manuscript.

Ron Swaisgood's is also talking at the OEEC 28-30th April 2008 ( http://www.uoguelph.ca/~oeec2008/)

 

 

 

Harper Adams University
Contact:
Email:

 

 

Iowa State University

Contact: Dr Suzanne Millman, College of Veterinary Medicine

Email: smillman@iastate.edu

 

 

King's College London

Contact: Mrs Barbara Holgate

Email: barbara.holgate@kcl.ac.uk

 

University of Lincoln
Contact: Professor Daniel Mills, Dept of Biological Sciences.
Email: dmills@lincoln.ac.uk

OR Sarah Redgate

Email: sredgate@lincoln.ac.uk

 

Link monies help support Lincoln’s regular Behaviour and Evolution Research Group seminar series, which are open to all undergrads, research,academic staff and when applicable members of the public. Further details of these can be obtained here: http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/dbs/seminars.htm

 

 

University of Liverpool

Contact: Dr Lynne Sneddon and Dr Carol Grey, School of Biological Sciences

Email: lsneddon@liv.ac.uk

 

 

 

 

Massey University

Contact: Dr Ngaio Beausoleil, Institute of Veterinary, Animal & Biomedical Sciences

Email: N.J.Beausoleil@massey.ac.nz

 

University of Newcastle

Contact: Dr Melissa Bateson, Institute of Neuroscience

Email: Melissa.Bateson@newcastle.ac.uk

The UFAW Links at Bristol, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow universities have joined forces and agreed to use some of their link monies to support an away ‘Walk and Talk’ weekend for their post-graduate students. During this weekend they will present their animal welfare work to their peers and discuss issues arising from it, get to know each other better and develop new contacts and collaborations. UFAW was happy to support this initiative because a trial last year, organised by the University of Bristol, had proved to be very successful and resulted in a fruitful exchange of ideas and techniques.

UFAW Link monies are also being used to support an Animal Health student conference run by the Agriculture Department for their third years students.

 

University of Northampton

Contact: Charlotte Stewart, Moulton College

Email:

Link monies help support Moulton’s monthly UFAW Postgraduate Animal Welfare Seminar’ series. Click here for further details of activities

 

Some UFAW link universities use part of their link monies to award prizes to undergraduates in recognition of their achievements in the field of animal welfare science. Congratulations are therefore extended to

 

Abigail Simms (BSc (Hons) Applied Animal Studies). Abigail was awarded her prize because of her many activities relating to animal welfare of the year which include giving an oral presentation on her project on ‘Assessing whether lavender oil has a calming effect on stabled horses’ at an animal welfare conference hosted by Hartpury College for students, as well as being the student who had demonstrated an exceptional knowledge and understanding of domestic and wild animals in relation to stress and pain reduction encouraging consideration for the physical and mental needs of all animals under human stewardship.

 

 

University of Plymouth
Contact: Dr John Eddison, School of Biological Sciences.
Email: J.Eddison@plymouth.ac.uk

 

Some UFAW link universities use part of their link monies to award prizes to undergraduates in recognition of their achievements in the field of animal welfare science. Congratulations are therefore extended to

 

James Kidd BSc Animal Science (Behaviour & Welfare). Achieved the highest aggregate mark across all modules.

 

 

Queensland University

Contact: Dr Andrew Tribe, School of Veterinary Sciences

Email: a.tribe@uq.edu.au

 

Queen's University Belfast

Contact: Dr Deborah Wells, School of Psychology

Email: d.wells@qub.ac.uk

 

 

 

 

 

University of Reading

Contact: Dr Jennie Litten, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Email: j.c.litten@rdg.ac.uk

 

Reaseheath College

Contact: Emily Jewell

Email: emilyj@reaseheath.ac.uk

 

 

 

Royal Veterinary College (RVC)
Contact: Dr Siobhan Abeyesinghe, Dept of Clinical Veterinary Sciences
Email: sabeyesinghe@rvc.ac.uk

 

Southampton University
Contact: Dr Debbie Goodwin, School of Psychology
Email: D.Goodwin@soton.ac.uk

 

 

 

 

University of Stirling
Contact: Professor Hannah Buchanan-Smith, Dept of Psychology
Email: h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk

 

Link monies help support Stirling’s regular Behaviour and Evolution Research Group seminar series. These are held every Tuesday during semester and are well attended, by both academics and those who work directly with animals on a daily basis. Further details can be found by visiting the Stirling website: http://www.psychology.stir.ac.uk/research/BERG.php

 

Stirling also uses part of their link monies to support a UFAW prize for the best undergraduate thesis on an animal welfare topic’, and will sponsor the Scottish Conference on Animal Behaviour in 2008 (12th April, contact Hannah for further details). Monies previously sponsored the Primate Society of Great Britain Spring Meeting on ‘Primate Mentality and Wellbeing’ (2006).

 

In addition, 10 students from Stirling led by Caroline Ogden very kindly undertook varied fund raising activities at the university and donated the monies raised to UFAW. These activities included manning a stall, dressing up and handing out information about UFAW. In total they raised £163; ‘…..not bad for an afternoon’s work’ as Caroline wrote. We would like to thank Caroline and the others on behalf of UFAW.

 

Clockwise from front: Caroline Ogden (Panda), Rosie Noyce (Bunny ears), Fiona Noble (Cow), Suzanne Niven, Matthew Preston, Paula Simms, Jareena Pradhan, Gillian Scott, Jacqueline Scott.

 

 

Unitec New Zealand

Contact: Mr Mark Farnworth, School of Natural Sciences

Email: mfarnworth@unitec.ac.nz

We were lucky enough to receive a public lecture from Professor Alistair Lawrence in his whistlestop tour of the Antipodes. Student and public reaction was overwhelmingly positive and the lecture "Animal Welfare: Who cares and what do we do about it?" successfully brought together both specific research and major economic, environmental and ethical concerns which impact upon the field. It served to remind students that no scientific field stands alone and also to revitalise and embed their years of learning about Animal Welfare Science. It also had a small dose of celebrity affirmative action.


Unitec New Zealand thanks both UFAW and SAC for enabling this to happen.

 

Writtle College

Contact: Catherine Hale, Centre for Equine and Animal Science

Email: catherine.hale@writtle.ac.uk

In April, Writtle College, with assistance from the UFAW link scheme, hosted the third ‘Student Animal Welfare Conference’. This annual conference, which is for students attending Writtle, Hartpury and Moulton Colleges, featured talks and posters from undergraduate and postgraduate students at these institutions. The presentations covered a wide range of topics from all areas of animal welfare related to farmed livestock, horses, companion animals and zoo species. The plenary talk was given by Professor Don Broom of the University of Cambridge who soke about “Awareness in domestic animals and our obligations to them”..

Prizes were awarded on the day and congratulations are extended to Carla Khouri (Writtle College) - Best oral presentation; Rachael Saggers (Writtle College) - Commended oral presentation; Helen Neill (Writtle College) - Best poster presentation and Sophie Mayes (Writtle College) - Commended poster presentation.

For further details click here.

 

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