Animal welfare experts from around the world speak in Guelph
On Saturday, Oct. 14, the Ontario Veterinary College’s (OVC) Animal Welfare Club hosted the 18th annual Animal Welfare Forum. Approximately 120 students, faculty, and members of the public spent the day engaging with experts on various welfare-related topics. With some speakers coming from across the road, and others from across the world, the forum presented a unique opportunity to learn about issues that often fly under the radar.
MASS DEPOPULATION
The morning started off strong with the difficult, but important, matter of mass depopulation, which is defined as the killing of animals for public health, animal health, animal welfare, or environmental reasons.
This procedure is often done rapidly on a large-scale basis in response to some form of emergency, and should be conducted under the supervision of competent authority whenever possible.
According to OVC’s own Dr. Patricia Turner, the historical execution of these events has often been less than ideal. Turner cited animal welfare, employee impact, as well as societal, economic, and environmental concerns when explaining that a great amount of work remains in developing the most ethical emergency slaughter methods. Current policies remain vague at best, and experts would like to see more definitive action in establishing humane solutions.
“Somebody, somewhere, has to make the decision: ‘Yes, this is acceptable; no, that’s not acceptable’,” Turner said.
EXTREME COMPANION ANIMAL BREEDING
Following Turner was Dr. Rowena Packer, a research fellow at London’s Royal Veterinary College. Packer held nothing back in her hilarious, but honest, lecture surrounding the serious issue of extreme companion animal breeding. A combination of ignorance, apathy, and complacency have resulted in the unfortunate trend of increasingly brachycephalic pet breeds — those with flat, wide heads.
Packer mentioned dogs such as pugs and bulldogs as perfect examples of the contrast between what consumers see of brachycephaly and what the animal experiences. Despite these dogs being viewed as adorable commodities, “if every breath day in and day out is a struggle, I think that is a phenomenal welfare issue,” she noted, while also citing difficulties with digestion, temperature regulation, and even pregnancy as consequences of this extreme breeding.
In discussing next steps with the audience, Packer agreed that education may no longer be enough. While not optimistic that breeding legislation will happen any time soon, she admits that people have proven unreliable for doing the right thing:“[These dogs have] broken biological limits … [they’re] no longer really compatible with life.”
BREATHLESSNESS
Topping off the morning was Dr. David J. Mellor, a specialist in welfare and bioethics at Massey University in New Zealand. His talk focused on breathlessness, a typically overlooked issue that remains an “animal welfare insult.”
Mellor has spent the last half-century researching welfare concerns and assessment, as well as consulting governing bodies in various countries. His research has noted that breathlessness is not an issue limited to any one species, and the implications of this hidden issue were discussed in his informative talk.
THE AFTERNOON
Following an ethically-sourced lunch sponsored by Rowe Farms, guests were treated to a packed afternoon of expertise. The University of Guelph’s Andrea Polanco, Dr. Charlotte Winder, and Dr. Lauren Dawson were up first, giving a series of brief, yet curious, lectures discussing:
- Abnormal repetitive behaviour in farmed mink
- Disbudding and dehorning in dairy calves
- Welfare assessment in cats and dogs
SWINE HEALTH
Before closing remarks, the forum was concluded with a fact-filled presentation from OVC’s Dr. Terri O’Sullivan, a great speaker with deep knowledge on swine health, management, and welfare. O’Sullivan spoke to the audience about the importance of bringing research directly to the farm to better understand and manage the welfare of production pigs.
As the audience filtered out, it was clear that the forum provided a meaningful opportunity for folks of all backgrounds to learn from the latest in animal welfare research. When asked what drew them to the event, participants such as Virginia Madsen expressed the desire to learn about unfamiliar subject areas.
“I’m interested in rural practice, but I don’t have a lot of food animal experience,” said Madsen, a Phase 1 OVC student who was particularly interested in the agriculture-centred talks.
The forum’s ability to captivate and educate a diverse audience is a strong indicator that the subject of animal welfare is only going to become more mainstream as awareness grows.
Photo by Alano Marcano