Around the world the importance of science in elucidating and tackling animal welfare problems is increasingly recognised, but priorities, concerns and approaches vary between nations and cultures. The aim of this international symposium is to provide a forum for all those active or interested in animal welfare science and its application around the world, to meet and discuss current topics in this field and international variation in priorities, concerns and approaches to animal welfare science. As such, this symposium forms part of UFAW’s regular on-going programme of meetings.

Speakers will include:

• Braithwaite V (Pennsylvania State University, USA)
  The validity of parameters currently taken to be indicators of sentience
• Nicol CJ (University of Bristol, UK)
  At what point is a chicken's welfare good enough? And is ‘good enough’, good enough?
• Perera BVP (National Wildlife Training Centre, Sri Lanka)
  The welfare of free-living elephants as their habitat shrinks
• Winckler C (University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Austria)
  Progress in, the present state of, and challenges for on-farm animal welfare assessments in Europe

A full list of speakers and the 70+ posters that will be presented can be found by visiting the UFAW website. The meeting will also feature a session on Building international links in animal welfare science.

Registration Details

The registration fee for the Symposium includes attendance for the two days, lunch and refreshments and a drinks reception on the evening of 4 July. A limited number of subsidised places have also been made available for students and veterinary nurses; these will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. To qualify for the reduced early registration rate you must register before 22 March.

Further information about the symposium, including details of the venue and different accommodation on the UAB site can be found on the UFAW website.

Any questions about the Symposium can be directed to Dr Stephen Wickens, UFAW Barcelona 2013, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire AL4 8AN, UK. Email: [email protected]. Tel: +44 (0)1582 831818; Fax: +44 (0)1582 831414

NB. Places at the drinks reception are limited, due to the capacity of the venue, and will be allocated on registering for the symposium. Delegates who register after the venue’s capacity is reached will not, unfortunately, be able to attend this event.