Centre for Animal Welfare
A high-impact centre dedicated to the advancement of animal welfare science.
View contentAbout us
The Centre for Animal Welfare is an interdisciplinary centre that undertakes research, teaching and public engagement in the field of animal welfare.
Animal welfare is a broad term. It includes the subfields of animal welfare science, animal ethics, and animal law and policy. Animal welfare science involves using scientific methods (particularly physiological and behavioural indicators) to assess animals' welfare states in various settings. The knowledge so derived informs ethical analysis and in turn the evolution of animal law and policy.
CAW provides a collaborative hub for academics and academic organisations interested in animal welfare issues. In addition to traditional research and knowledge dissemination through academic publications, presentations and educational programmes, we also seek to engage with wider society, particularly through our seminar series on important or interesting animal welfare issues. Through such engagement we aim to increase knowledge and understanding about animal welfare and animal use practices within society at large.
CAW's postgraduate course is based in the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, while its undergraduate course is offered by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
CAW has partnerships with Compassion in World Farming, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and through CAW, the University is a signatory to the CreatureKind commitment.
CAW also organises animal welfare events, aimed both at University of Winchester staff and students and the general public. We are currently scheduling virtual events; keep an eye on the University's public events calendar for further details.
Meet the team
Academic staff
- Prof. Andrew Knight, CAW Director and Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics
- Dr Steven McCulloch, Senior Lecturer in Human-Animal Studies
- Dr Robert Gray, Lecturer in Environmental History
- Prof. Neil Messer, Professor of Theology, an expert in the relationship between science and theology
- Dr Thomas Nørgaard, Senior Lecturer in Liberal Arts
- Dr Lisa Riley, Lecturer in Animal Welfare
- Dr Liam Satchell, Lecturer in Psychology
- Dr Amoret Whitaker, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Entomology
Other lecturing staff
- Natalie Light (BSc, PGDip, PGCert, CCAB, FHEA), Part-time Lecturer BA Animal Welfare & Society; find out more about Natalie
- Jenny Mace (BSc, MSc AWSEL, FHEA), Part-time Lecturer MSc Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law; read Jenny's latest publication, co-authored with CAW's Dr Steven McCulloch
Visiting Professors
- Professor David Clough, Co-Founder of CreatureKind
- Professor Philip Lymbery, CEO of Compassion in World Farming
- Professor Bernard Rollin, Professor of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University
- Professor Paula Sparks, Chair of the UK Centre of Animal Law
External Advisor
- Professor Peter Singer, Professor of Bioethics
Research students
- Pam Adams-Wright: 'An investigation into why post-weaning stereotypical pacing develops in red squirrel kittens at Wildwood Escot and Wildwood Kent'
- Rebecca Hammerton: 'Keeper perceptions of captive primate diets: nutritional and welfare perspectives'
- Elizabeth Roe: 'Breeding Success and Welfare in Aye-Ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis): Wild and Captive Perspectives'
- Nicky Shaw: 'Responses of the domestic dog to artificial intelligence technology: training and welfare perspectives'