Exposure to gases, other inhaled agents such as anaesthetics, or low atmospheric pressures are used to kill a range of animals including farmed livestock, laboratory animals and pests or invasive species. There is on-going debate as to whether any or all of these controlled atmosphere methods are humane. This meeting will consider the animal welfare impacts of various controlled atmosphere stunning or killing techniques upon a range of species and in different scenarios. The meeting aims to facilitate a cross-disciplinary examination of the welfare impacts of the various methods, as well as to map out future research priorities.
The meeting will feature invited talks from a range of expert scientists as well as submitted talks on the latest research developments.
Sessions include:
- Controlled atmosphere stunning and killing: use in different scenarios and for different species.
- Respiratory related experiences: What is the potential for various methods to cause respiratory discomfort in animals before loss of consciousness and what evidence do we currently have to evaluate such experiences?
- Other negative experiences: What is the potential for various methods to cause other negative experiences including panic/anxiety, pain, nausea, dysphoria before loss of consciousness, and what evidence do we currently have to evaluate such experiences?
- Practical challenges and considerations: What are the practical barriers to the use of more welfare-friendly controlled atmosphere methods in each field and how might we overcome these? How might we refine current methods to make them as humane as possible?
- Future research priorities: What are the current knowledge gaps about welfare impacts of controlled atmosphere methods, what kind of evidence would be acceptable to fill those gaps, and what specific research is needed to achieve improvements in current practice?
Confirmed Speakers
Prof Nigel Gibbens CBE, UK Chief Veterinary Officer
Prof Dan Weary, Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia
Prof Robert Meyer, Professor of Veterinary Anesthesiology, Mississippi State University & Lead, Inhaled Agents Working Group, AVMA Euthanasia Panel
Dr Dorothy McKeegan, BVA Animal Welfare Foundation Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow
Dr Sally Robinson, Director of Laboratory Animal Science, AstraZeneca, UK
Dr Troy Gibson*, Lecturer in Animal Welfare Science, Royal Veterinary College, UK
Dr Ngaio Beausoleil*, Deputy Director, Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, Massey University, New Zealand
Dr Rebeca Garcia*, Veterinary Adviser – Animal Welfare Policy, DEFRA, UK
Dr Huw Golledge*, Senior Scientific Programme Manager, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare & Humane Slaughter Association, UK
*Organising Committee
Registration
Registration is £295 for two days including lunch and tea & coffee.
If you are interested in attending please contact Dr Huw Golledge on 01582 831818 (golledge@ufaw.org.uk) to check availability of places. Please ensure that you have your credit/debit card with you as, if we have any places remaining, we will require immediate payment to secure registration.r
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