JMICAWE presents at the European college of Animal welfare symposium

 

The JMICAWE team were delighted to contribute to the recent European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine (ECAWBM) symposium on animal welfare. Previous JMICAWE director, Professor Natalie Waran, opened the symposium with a presentation on One welfare and the importance of human-horse interaction to both human and equine welfare.

This was followed by presentations on a range of topics from various European college residents including JMICAWE’s Heather Bacon, who presented her work on canine pain assessment. 

The European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine (ECAWBM) strives to provide animal owners and their veterinarians with European Veterinary Specialists; veterinarians specialised in animal welfare and/or behavioural medicine. 

Diplomats are qualified veterinarians who have undergone
an extensive, well-defined training programme over many years within the fields of animal welfare and behavioural medicine before passing a demanding board examination. This assures high quality service to the general animal owning public and to referring veterinarians.

http://www.ecawbm.com/

 

A Dog's Perspective

We’re really excited to bring you a new short film, A Dog’s Perspective, on YouTube.

The idea behind this video comes from our undergrad veterinary students at the Royal (Dick) Veterinary School and they shot and directed the video themselves after completing their final year animal welfare elective module.

Our students recognised that the veterinary clinic can sometimes be a frightening and alarming place for our companion animals and wanted to make a video that could highlight some simple and effective changes to the clinic that can improve the experience for our companion animals.

Carrie Aitken, the video’s director, had this to say:

Veterinarians are sworn to protect and uphold the welfare of animals under their care. It is easy to allow the importance of a patient’s physical health overshadow that of their mental and emotional wellbeing. I wanted to make this video to help us see the world through a dogs’ point-of-view so that we may improve the welfare of our pets in veterinary practice.

To do this I have highlighted the key areas of a veterinary practice from the point-of-view of a dog and provided some suggestions as to how to improve the patient experience.

I hope you enjoy the video and take a moment to consider how the world is experienced through the eyes of our canine companions. 

It’s great to see the next generation of veterinarians thinking about the animal’s experience in the clinic and putting animal welfare front and centre. A big thank you to Carrie and her colleagues for sharing this video with us, and congratulations on your graduation! We know you’ll go on to do great things.