Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Last updated

Universities Federation for Animal Welfare
Founded1926
FocusAnimal welfare
Location
  • Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England
OriginsUniversity of London Animal Welfare Society
Area served
Worldwide
ProductEducation
Key people
 C. W. Hume (founder), Huw Golledge (Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director)
Website www.ufaw.org.uk

The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) [1] is an animal welfare science society. It is a UK-registered scientific and educational charity. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

UFAW works to improve animals' lives by promoting and supporting developments in the science and technology that underpin advances in animal welfare. It organises symposia, conferences and meetings, and publishes books, videos, technical reports and the quarterly peer-reviewed scientific journal Animal Welfare. Its work has primarily been funded by donations, subscriptions and legacies.

Research and education grants and awards

UFAW has supported a wide range of project types, through the following: [5]

History

In 1926, the University of London Animal Welfare Society (ULAWS) was founded by Major Charles Hume. As its support base amongst academic institutions grew and as more institutions and people learned of and championed the scientific approach to animal problems that ULAWS stood for, the name of the society was changed, in 1938, to the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW). UFAW's aims were:

Since its foundation, UFAW has initiated many advances in animal welfare including the first handbook aimed at improving the care and management of laboratory animals (now on its 7th edition), [14] [15] the first programme of research on environmental enrichment (in zoo animals) and involvement in the Brambell Committee whose report into the welfare of animals kept under intensive livestock husbandry systems led to the formation of the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (later Farm Animal Welfare Council – FAWC) and the concept of the Five Freedoms.

Examples of more recent activities include funding of the work, at the University of Bristol, investigating the use of the concept of cognitive bias to assess the subjective emotional state of an animal – pessimistic or optimistic – and hence their welfare. [6] UFAW has also supported work on genetic welfare problems of companion animals and produced a web resource [16] that describes a range of genetic conditions that affect companion animals and which explains their welfare consequences – the impacts on the animals' quality of life.

UFAW established the Garden Bird Health Initiative (GBHi) [17] to develop and publish guidelines about garden birds aimed at maximizing their welfare and conservation. A new strain of avian pox, for example, is an area of developing concern within the UK.

As part of its remit to educate and inform on animal welfare, UFAW has also produced a series of books, in collaboration with Wiley-Blackwell Science, that seek to provide an authoritative source of information on worldwide developments, current thinking and best practice in the field of animal welfare science and technology. [18]

In 1987, the Council Members became also the Trustees of the Humane Slaughter Association (HSA). The HSA and UFAW are financially independent but have worked closely together for many years to advance farm animal welfare. The HSA works to improve farm animal welfare 'beyond the farm gate' – during transport, at markets and at slaughter.

The Three Rs

UFAW originated and supports the principle of the 'Three R's' in the use of animals in scientific procedures.

In 1954 UFAW's founder, Charles Hume, together with other members of UFAW's Council, wished to see laboratory techniques become more humane for the animals concerned and appointed an Oxford zoologist Dr William Russell to undertake a programme of research into this subject. UFAW Research Fellow Dr Russell, along with his laboratory assistant and co-author Rex Burch, published the results of their work in 1959 as The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique (reprinted in 1992). [19] This publication introduced the concept of the 'Three Rs' – of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement – which in due course came to be adopted as the guiding principle for the welfare of research animals worldwide and is now required by regulatory authorities in many countries. [20] The Three Rs are:

A good deal of UFAW's work, including the Hume Animal Welfare Research Fellowship, the Animal Welfare Research Training Scholarship and other research grants, the UFAW 3Rs Liaison Group, and participation in working groups, has been focused in areas directly related to promoting the Three Rs. [7] [10] [11] [12] A special edition of UFAW's Animal Welfare journal devoted to the Three Rs, and including an article by Professor Russell entitled The Three Rs: past, present and future, [21] was published in 2005 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the project leading to the publication of the book.

Animal Welfare journal

The UFAW publishes Animal Welfare a scientific and technical journal, since 1992. [22] It publishes the results of peer-reviewed scientific research, technical studies and reviews relating to the welfare of kept animals (e.g. on farms, in laboratories, zoos and as companions) and of those in the wild whose welfare is compromised by human activities. Papers on related ethical and legal issues are also considered for publication. Animal Welfare is published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of UFAW. [23] [24]

The journal also reviews books. [25]

UFAW Handbook

Hare coursing: Until the 1970s, there was a dearth of scientific evidence on the welfare impact of hare coursing. The first thorough study was carried out in 1977–1979 by UFAW. [26]

The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Farm Animals was first published in 1971 and in 2013 reached its fourth edition.

The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and other Research Animals was first published in 1947 and reached its eight edition in 2010.

Notable staff

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intensive pig farming</span> Method of animal husbandry

Intensive pig farming, also known as pig factory farming, is the primary method of pig production, in which grower pigs are housed indoors in group-housing or straw-lined sheds, whilst pregnant sows are housed in gestation crates or pens and give birth in farrowing crates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust</span>

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is a British charitable organisation using science to promote game and wildlife management as an essential part of nature conservation. For over 80 years the Trust has been conducting scientific research to understand why there have been declines in species such as the grey partridge, black grouse, water vole, corn bunting and brown hare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Rollin</span> American philosopher (1943–2021)

Bernard Elliot Rollin was an American philosopher, who was emeritus professor of philosophy, animal sciences, and biomedical sciences at Colorado State University. He was considered to be the "father of veterinary medical ethics".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal testing regulations</span> Guidelines with regard to animal testing

Animal testing regulations are guidelines that permit and control the use of non-human animals for scientific experimentation. They vary greatly around the world, but most governments aim to control the number of times individual animals may be used; the overall numbers used; and the degree of pain that may be inflicted without anesthetic.

Michael Calvert Appleby OBE is a British ethologist and animal welfare scientist, especially for farm animals. He obtained a BSc in Zoology at the University of Bristol and a PhD in Animal Behaviour at King's College, Cambridge. He then spent 20 years at the Poultry Research Centre in Scotland and the University of Edinburgh researching behaviour, husbandry, and welfare of farm animals. He worked for World Animal Protection from 2005 to 2016, and is now retired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pain in animals</span> Overview about pain in animals

Pain negatively affects the health and welfare of animals. "Pain" is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage." Only the animal experiencing the pain can know the pain's quality and intensity, and the degree of suffering. It is harder, if even possible, for an observer to know whether an emotional experience has occurred, especially if the sufferer cannot communicate. Therefore, this concept is often excluded in definitions of pain in animals, such as that provided by Zimmerman: "an aversive sensory experience caused by actual or potential injury that elicits protective motor and vegetative reactions, results in learned avoidance and may modify species-specific behaviour, including social behaviour." Nonhuman animals cannot report their feelings to language-using humans in the same manner as human communication, but observation of their behaviour provides a reasonable indication as to the extent of their pain. Just as with doctors and medics who sometimes share no common language with their patients, the indicators of pain can still be understood.

Animal welfare science is the scientific study of the welfare of animals as pets, in zoos, laboratories, on farms and in the wild. Although animal welfare has been of great concern for many thousands of years in religion and culture, the investigation of animal welfare using rigorous scientific methods is a relatively recent development. The world's first Professor of Animal Welfare Science, Donald Broom, was appointed by Cambridge University (UK) in 1986.

John J. McGlone is an American animal scientist and a Frank Guggenheim Fellow, Institutional Official Director and professor of Animal Science at Texas Tech University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Three Rs (animal research)</span> Principles for ethical use of animals in science

The Three Rs (3Rs) are guiding principles for more ethical use of animals in product testing and scientific research. They were first described by W. M. S. Russell and R. L. Burch in 1959. The 3Rs are:

  1. Replacement:methods which avoid or replace the use of animals in research
  2. Reduction: use of methods that enable researchers to obtain comparable levels of information from fewer animals, or to obtain more information from the same number of animals.
  3. Refinement: use of methods that alleviate or minimize potential pain, suffering or distress, and enhance animal welfare for the animals used.

Animal Welfare is a quarterly, peer-reviewed scientific journal covering studies on the welfare of animals, whether in captivity or in the wild. Its scope includes animal welfare science, animal cognition, ethology, behavioural ecology, evolution of behaviour, sociobiology, behavioural physiology, population biology, neurophysiology and abnormal behaviour. It was established in 1992 and is published by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. The editor-in-chief is James K. Kirkwood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humane Slaughter Association</span> British organisation

The Humane Slaughter Association (HSA) supports research, training, and development to improve the welfare of livestock during transport and slaughter. It provides technical information about handling and slaughter on its website, training for farmer staff and vets, advice to governments and industry, and funding of science and technology to make slaughter more humane. HSA is the sister charity to Universities Federation for Animal Welfare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Wathes</span>

Christopher Michael Wathes was a British research scientist who specialised in agricultural and veterinary science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pain in amphibians</span> Ethical issue

Pain is an aversive sensation and feeling associated with actual, or potential, tissue damage. It is widely accepted by a broad spectrum of scientists and philosophers that non-human animals can perceive pain, including pain in amphibians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pain in cephalopods</span> Contentious issue

Pain in cephalopods is a contentious issue. Pain is a complex mental state, with a distinct perceptual quality but also associated with suffering, which is an emotional state. Because of this complexity, the presence of pain in non-human animals, or another human for that matter, cannot be determined unambiguously using observational methods, but the conclusion that animals experience pain is often inferred on the basis of likely presence of phenomenal consciousness which is deduced from comparative brain physiology as well as physical and behavioural reactions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">W. M. S. Russell</span> British zoologist, originator of the 3Rs concept

William Moy Stratton Russell, also known as Bill Russell, was a British zoologist and animal welfare worker. He was best known for writing, along with R. L. Burch (1926-1996) The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique (1959), a landmark in the humane use of animals in research, education and testing. Russell and Burch introduced the concept of the Three Rs in the scientific community and provided a blueprint for combining animal welfare considerations and quality of research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Sherwin</span> English veterinary scientist (1962–2017)

Christopher M. Sherwin was an English veterinary scientist and senior research fellow at the University of Bristol Veterinary School in Lower Langford, Somerset. He specialised in applied ethology, the study of the behaviour of animals in the context of their interactions with humans, and of how to balance the animals' needs with the demands placed on them by humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Hurst</span> Animal scientist and behavioural ecologist

Jane Louise Hurst is the William Prescott Professor of Animal Science at the University of Liverpool. She is Head of Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution. She studies scent communication between mammals, as well as animal welfare and pest control. She served as the president of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour from 2010 to 2012.

Alison Jane Hanlon is an Irish veterinary research scientist who advocates for animal welfare, including that of companion animals, horses and farm animals. She is a professor at University College Dublin and has worked on a number of government advisory groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C. W. Hume</span> British animal welfare activist and writer

Major Charles Westley Hume OBE MC BSc was a British animal welfare worker and writer.

Christine Nicol is an author, academic and a researcher. She is a Professor of Animal Welfare at the Royal Veterinary College and has honorary appointments at the University of Oxford and the University of Lincoln. She is the Field Chief Editor of Frontiers in Animal Science.

References

  1. ↑ The Black Pig Design Co Ltd, The Sty, 47 Upper King St, Royston, SG8 9AZ, 01763 222 333. "UFAW - Universities Federation for Animal Welfare - Founded 1926". ufaw.org.uk.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Yeates, James (2013). Animal Welfare in Veterinary Practice. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN   978-1-4443-3487-6.
  3. ↑ "Universities Federation for Animal Welfare". fao.org. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Universities' Federation for Animal Welfare". Nature. 149 (3778): 353–354. March 1942. Bibcode:1942Natur.149T.353.. doi:10.1038/149353d0. PMC   1581699 . PMID   20323107.
  5. ↑ The Black Pig Design Co Ltd, The Sty, 47 Upper King St, Royston, SG8 9AZ, 01763 222 333. "UFAW - Universities Federation for Animal Welfare - Grants & Awards". ufaw.org.uk.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. 1 2 Harding EJ, ES Paul and M Mendl (2004) Animal behaviour: cognitive bias and affective state. Nature 427(6972):312–312
  7. 1 2 Sherwin CM (2003) Social context affects the motivation of laboratory mice, Mus musculus, to gain access to resources. Animal behaviour 66(4):649-655
  8. ↑ Mason G, R Clubb, NR Latham and S Vickery (2007) Why and how should we use environmental enrichment to tackle stereotypic behaviour? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 102(3):163–188
  9. ↑ Latham NR and GJ Mason (2008) Maternal deprivation and the development of stereotypic behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 110(1):84–108
  10. 1 2 Mettam JJ, LJ Oulton, CR McCrohan and LU Sneddon (2011) The efficacy of three types of analgesic drugs in reducing pain in the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 133(3):265–274
  11. 1 2 Gaskill BN, SA Rohr, EA Pajor, JR Lucas and JP Garner (2009) Some like it hot: mouse temperature preferences in laboratory housing. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 116(2):279-285
  12. 1 2 Gaskill BN, CJ Gordon, EA Pajor, JR Lucas, JK Davis and JP Garner (2012) Heat or insulation: behavioral titration of mouse preference for warmth or access to a nest. PLoS ONE 7(3):e32799
  13. ↑ Packer RMA, A Hendricks and CC Burn (2012) Do dog owners perceive the clinical signs related to conformational inherited disorders as' normal' for the breed? A potential constraint to improving canine welfare. Animal Welfare 21(Supplement 1): 81-93
  14. ↑ Worden AN (1947) The UFAW handbook on the care and management of laboratory animals; with an appendix on statistical analysis. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare: London, UK
  15. ↑ Hubrecht R and JK Kirkwood (Eds.) (2010) The UFAW handbook on the care and management of laboratory and other research animals. Wiley-Blackwell
  16. ↑ The Black Pig Design Co Ltd, The Sty, 47 Upper King St, Royston, SG8 9AZ, 01763 222 333. "genetic welfare problems". ufaw.org.uk.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ↑ The Black Pig Design Co Ltd, The Sty, 47 Upper King St, Royston, SG8 9AZ, 01763 222 333. "UFAW - Universities Federation for Animal Welfare - Founded 1929". ufaw.org.uk.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ↑ List of books in the UFAW Animal Welfare Series published by Wiley-Blackwell
  19. ↑ Russell WMS and Burch RL (1959. Reprinted 1992). The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare: Wheathampstead, UK
  20. ↑ Fenwick NP and D Fraser (2005) The Three Rs in the pharmaceutical industry: perspectives of scientists and regulators. Animal Welfare 14:367-377
  21. ↑ Russell WMS (2005) The Three Rs: past, present and future. Animal Welfare 14:279-286
  22. ↑ The Black Pig Design Co Ltd, The Sty, 47 Upper King St, Royston, SG8 9AZ, 01763 222 333. "UFAW - Universities Federation for Animal Welfare - Animal Welfare Journal". ufaw.org.uk. Archived from the original on 25 October 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ↑ "The UFAW Journal - Animal Welfare". ufaw.org.uk. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  24. ↑ "Animal Welfare". cambridge.org. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  25. ↑ "Book Reviews". ufaw.org.uk. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  26. ↑ Hunting With Dogs HANSARD, 18 March 2002.
  27. ↑ "Newsletter" (PDF). Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.