Introducing Jess Martin

A second Jess joined our team at the end of last year, not to be confused with Jess Davies, our Vet Nurse covering Hayley Walters' maternity leave.  Allow Dr Jess Martin to introduce herself...

"I am a Lecturer at the R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh and a Clinical Research Associate of the Roslin Institute. I have a long standing research interest in animal consciousness and pain, especially relating this to commercial pig and poultry production. My work in this area has spanned both physiological and behavioural welfare impacts of intensive livestock systems to on-farm despatching methods, as well as full scale animal slaughter. I also have a strong investment in AgriTech innovation to enhance animal welfare as well as production for livestock species. I have worked on a wide range of research projects related to animal pain, welfare assessment, behaviour, animal ethics, animal slaughter and on-farm killing, and animal transport. Alongside my research I teach and provide expert support in experimental design and data analysis for staff and students at R(D)SVS. I am currently the Animal Welfare Research Network Champion for the University of Edinburgh.

My current work is evaluating the welfare impact of a novel stunning technique (Low Atmospheric Pressure stunning) for commercial pigs, to hopefully identify a more humane alternative to CO₂ stunning in pigs. This project is being funded by Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Humane Slaughter Association (HSA) and is in collaboration with University of Glasgow and SRUC."

Hayley Walters MBE

The whole team sends its congratulations to Hayley Walters, our JMICAWE Vet Nurse, who was at Buckingham Palace earlier today to collect her MBE from HRH the Prince of Wales

Well-deserved recognition for the work Hayley does to improve animal welfare worldwide.

Tackling Dangerous Dog Legislation - Dr Amy Miele

Tackling Dangerous Dog Legislation

On Wednesday 28^th February Dr Amy Miele of JMICAWE was invited to chair a Policy Exchange focussing on Dangerous Dog Legislation in the UK which was held in central London. The aim of this exchange was to foster interdisciplinary relationships, while also exploring alternatives to the controversial Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA) of 1991 and its’ subsequent amendments. Alongside this, delegates shared best practice with regards to promoting responsible dog ownership and ensuring optimal canine and human welfare under the current legislative framework.

Dr Amy Miele is the Programme Director of the online learning MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour

The day included presentations from charities such as the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and Born Innocent, as well as from London Assembly Members and animal behaviour researchers working in the field. There was an emphasis on evidence based practice and Dr Samantha Gaines, RSPCA, was the first to set the scene with some statistics demonstrating the futility of breed specific legislation and the need for standardised reporting of dog bite incidents in order to inform appropriate preventative action. Dr Naomi Harvey, University of Nottingham, echoed these sentiments and presented data highlighting the high degree of within breed variation in behaviour traits. She emphasised that any genetic impact on behaviour should be considered at the level of the individual rather than the breed.

Ms Shaila Bux, Born Innocent, talked about the work that she and her colleagues do to help the owners of dogs who have been seized under Section 1 of the DDA. Her case studies highlighted concerns over the lack of standardisation with regards to the assessment of seized dogs and the welfare concerns that they face during prolonged periods of kennelling while awaiting assessment.

Assembly Members Leonie Cooper and Steve O’Connell from Labour and London Conservatives respectively, demonstrated the cross-party agreement on this important subject and discussed ways of promoting policy change. The day also included a presentation from Hollie Sevenoaks of Dogs Trust, who spoke about various Dogs Trust initiatives promoting responsible dog ownership. So far, Dogs Trust has reached over 330, 000 school children via their primary school workshops and they are in the process of analysing data that will inform on the impact of this work.

Delegates included Clinical Animal Behaviourist Kendal Shepherd, an experienced expert witness and Walter Pennell, a Dog Liaison Officer from South Wales Police, both of whom shared their wisdom and stories of best practice within the limitations of the current legal framework.

While the day uncovered severe flaws in the current Dangerous Dog legislation in the UK, the concluding remarks were positive, with a focus on continuing to build upon the cross-sector relationships forged during the day and fostering change, while also supporting initiatives focussing on public education and responsible pet-ownership.

Teaching children how to behave around dogs and about responsible dog ownership was one of the key initiatives discussed during the Policy Exchange

Celebrating the role of mothers in animal welfare

Celebrating the role of mothers in animal welfare

Sunday 11^th March is Mother’s Day here in UK. It is also the time of year when our fields start to fill with ewes and lambs, and cows and calves. This is a special time of the year for JMICAWE Director, Prof Cathy Dwyer, whose research work has focused on the role of mothers in improving the survival and welfare of newborn livestock, especially lambs. Mothers provide food and protection for their new offspring, but they also are sources of warmth, comfort and reassurance, and provide their offspring with opportunities to learn about the wider world.

The social and cognitive development of the young animal is shaped by maternal contact, and mothers can buffer their offspring from potentially negative or stressful things that may occur around them. Mothers provide a safe environment from which offspring can explore, play and engage in positive social behaviours, such as grooming. The maternal bond, or attachment between mother and offspring, is a really important component of survival, but also shapes the life of her offspring and sets them on the path to good welfare. Ensuring that young animals have a good social interaction with their mothers, and that mothers are properly cared for to allow them to express maternal behaviour is a vital part of animal welfare.

To mothers everywhere – we thank you for your role in making us who we are!    

#PressforProgress on International Women’s Day

#PressforProgress on International Women’s Day, 8^th March 2018

Today is International Women’s Day when we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. For 2018 this is also about acting to achieve gender parity. Here at JMICAWE we want to mark the fantastic achievements that women have made for animal welfare.

Women have always played a central role in animal welfare, from the early pioneers of animal welfare science, the founders, directors and CEOs of animal welfare charities and NGOs, and the current researchers, teachers, advocates, veterinarians, veterinary nurses and animal carers. Animal welfare science, and the veterinary profession, is increasingly becoming a female-oriented field. Our care and compassion for the animals that we share our world with is helping to improve their lives, and also the lives of those who depend upon animals in their daily lives.

Often in the poorer countries on our planet it is women who are responsible for the care and welfare of animals, although their contribution to family education, income and quality of life may go unrecognised. In 2018 we want to speak up for these women, celebrate the vital role of women in improving animal welfare, and remember to #PressforProgress in recognising the role women play and working towards gender parity in all areas. 

Finally, the core JMICAWE team are all women, and the wider JMICAWE family is also largely female. It is an inspiration to be able to work with such dedicated, professional and hard-working women, who are passionate about bringing about improvements in animal welfare. Thank you all for your fantastic achievements and your compassion, care and dedication to animal welfare.

Update on veterinary nurse project in Kerala

After the Philippines workshop, the JMICAWE team made their way to Southern India to the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University campus in Mannuthy for a meeting with the Dean of the vet school and fellow senior faculty members to discuss ongoing collaborative projects including the Veterinary Assistant/Nurse program which will hopefully be up and running later this year.

The team were then kindly given a tour of the new teaching hospital that is in its final stages of construction and were also able to take a look around the large animal unit of the University to see the ongoing developments with the chickens, pigs, cows and water buffalo.

Animal Welfare Science for Veterinarians Workshop in Philippines

Animal Welfare Science for Veterinarians Workshop in Philippines

Last month, JMICAWE staff Cathy Dwyer, Heather Bacon and Jess Davies led a two-day workshop in Manila, Philippines, on Animal Welfare Science for Veterinarians. The team were hosted by Dr Dan Ventura (Dr Dan), from College of Veterinary Medicine in SouthWestern University and Dr Alvin Alvarez (Dr Awa), from Cavite State University, and the workshop was sponsored by Ceva and Cavite State University.

The event was delivered in collaboration with the Philippines Veterinary Medical Association and preceded the annual meeting of the PVMA, where Heather was also a guest speaker. Thirty-five members of various veterinary schools across the Philippines attended and were an enthusiastic and engaged audience, discussing such topics as new developments in animal welfare science, dog population management, farm animal welfare and the teaching of welfare and clinical skills to veterinary students.

Attendees also got to try out their skills in behavioural observation, assessing the welfare of dogs and pigs, as well as experimenting with the JMICAWE teaching aids.

‘We were delighted by the enthusiasm and interest of the participants, and how much discussion and debate was generated at the workshop. It is great that there is so much interest in animal welfare education for vets in the Philippines’ said Cathy after the meeting.

Following the meeting Jess and Cathy were lucky enough to travel to the beautiful University of the Philippines Los Banos campus with Dr Eduardo Torres, and visited the veterinary hospital there. Plans are underway to hold a similar event next February, at the Los Banos campus.