How much an individual, or society as a whole, is prepared to pay for animal welfare improvements appears to vary greatly depending on the species and circumstances of the animal. To what extent is this subject to change? Finding ways to develop economic drivers and incentives has proved to be a successful approach to animal welfare improvements in some cases. What potential is there for widely developing this approach?
Topics
- Research into the value placed on animal welfare (of various species under various circumstances).
- Has the global economic crisis affected consumer attitudes and behaviour?
- Factors underlying variation in willingness to pay, and payment, for animal welfare benefits.
- Deciding priorities – apportioning scarce funds: (a) between animal welfare and other societal concerns and (b) between various animal welfare issues.
- How do we ask animals what are their priorities for welfare expenditure?
- Consumer demand studies in humans and other animals.
- How much is enough? Deciding how much progress along the positive/negative welfare continuum can be afforded.
- Could labelling systems be used more widely, in farm and other sectors, to allow consumers to exercise choice?
- The role and power of corporate responsibility initiatives.
- Apportioning expenditure between welfare and conservation in captive and field conservation programmes.
- The role of animal welfare science in influencing public attitudes and economic policy.
- What are the main constraints to, and what economic incentives could be developed to help make progress with, species/industry specific issues such as:
- Tackling lameness in dairy cattle
- Humane rodent control
- Humane harvesting of marine fish
- Each of the Three Rs
- Genetic welfare problems in companion animals
- Tackling lameness in broilers
Call for papers
UFAW is inviting contributions to the symposium. If you wish to contribute, please submit a title and abstract to UFAW for consideration. Both oral and poster presentations will be accepted.
A copy of the abstract should be sent by email to wickens@ufaw.org.uk AND a signed hard copy marked for the attention of Stephen Wickens, UFAW Portsmouth 2011 by Friday 5th November 2010.
Background to UFAW
UFAW, the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, is an internationally-recognised, independent, scientific and educational animal welfare charity. The organization promotes high standards of welfare for farm, companion, laboratory and captive wild animals and those with which we interact in the wild.