The ethical responsibilities surrounding animal welfare will be explored at OVC's seventh Animal Welfare Forum Sept. 30 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Lifetime Learning Centre. The forum will also celebrate the retirement of Prof. Ian Duncan, Animal and Poultry Science, a world leader in animal welfare.
The forum is intended to raise awareness of the welfare of animals, including companion animals, lab and zoo animals and livestock. Organizers also aim to raise money for the annual $1,000 Care-a-thon animal welfare graduate research scholarship.
“Animal welfare as a general topic is very important for veterinary students as well as for the general public,” says Lizete Valdmanis, a veterinary medicine student and co-president of the OVC Animal Welfare Club. “Our major focus is education and awareness of various animal welfare issues, and as a student group, we want to gain a broader understanding of some of these issues.”
Morning speakers are Terry Whiting, an expert in disease control and epidemiology at Manitoba Agriculture's veterinary services branch; Daniel Carey, director of technical communications for the research and development division of Iams; and Amy Kerwin, founder of Primates, Inc., who will discuss “Retiring Old and New World Monkeys From Research Facilities.”
The afternoon program will honour Duncan's pioneering role in the field of animal welfare research. He officially retired from U of G in May.
“Prof. Duncan has been a very influential researcher in the animal welfare field and is internationally recognized for his contributions,” says Valdmanis. In addition to his work at Guelph, he was previously a member of a government research institute in Scotland and advised the European Commission on animal welfare issues.
Prof. Georgia Mason, Canada Research Chair in Animal Welfare, says Duncan “is a pioneer who helped establish what is now an international and thriving research field.”
Afternoon speakers are Derek Haley of Alberta Agriculture, Jeff Rushen of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Anne Malleau, executive director of the Whole Foods Animal Compassion Foundation.
Registration is encouraged. A donation of $10 is suggested to support animal welfare research at U of G. For more information or to register, contact Valdmanis at lvaldman@uoguelph.ca.
