Announcements
19 August 2026
MDPI’s Journal Cluster of Animal Science Webinar | Emerging Challenges and Priorities in Animal Welfare, 31 August 2026
Message from the webinar Chair:
In this webinar, we would like to discuss new areas of welfare concern—areas that have not been discussed sufficiently in the past or are re-emerging in 2026 for renewed consideration. We would love for you to attend to hear talks on such issues and to raise questions with our expert presenters. We wish to raise awareness and maintain dialogue on varied animal welfare issues.
Date: 31 August at 10:00 a.m. CEST | 9:00 a.m. BST | 6:00 p.m. AEST | 4:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 890 1930 4928
Webinar webpage: https://sciforum.net/event/Cluster-15
Register now for free!
Program:
| Speaker | Presentation Title | Time in CEST | Time in BST | Time in AEST | Time in CST Asia |
| Dr. Mandy Paterson (Chair) | Chair Introduction | 10:00–10:10 a.m. | 9:00–9:10 a.m. | 6:00–6:10 p.m. | 4:00–4:10 p.m. |
| Prof. Dr. Andrew Knight | Sustainable Pet Food: Implications for Animal Welfare and the Environment | 10:10–10:30 a.m. | 9:10–9:30 a.m. | 6:10–6:30 p.m. | 4:10–4:30 p.m. |
| Prof. Dr. Dan O’Neill | Extreme Conformation as a Welfare Priority in Domesticated Animals | 10:30–10:50 a.m. | 9:30–9:50 a.m. | 6:30–6:50 p.m. | 4:30–4:50 p.m. |
| Dr. Karen Rickards | The Use of Welfare Assessments to Inform Good Welfare Practices for Equines in Sanctuary Care | 10:50–11:10 a.m. | 9:50–10:10 a.m. | 6:50–7:10 p.m. | 4:50–5:10 p.m. |
| Prof. Dr. David J. Mellor | COMPASS Guidelines for Welfare Focused Research | 11:10–11:30 a.m. | 10:10–10:30 a.m. | 7:10–7:30 p.m. | 5:10–5:30 p.m. |
| Dr. Joe Collins | Equine Identification & Traceability Underpin Equine Welfare, Responsible Ownership, and Use of Medicines | 11:30–11:50 a.m. | 10:30–10:50 a.m. | 7:30–7:50 p.m. | 5:30–5:50 p.m. |
| Q&A Session | 11:50–12:05 a.m. | 10:50–11:05 a.m. | 7:50–8:05 p.m. | 5:50–6:05 p.m. | |
| Dr. Mandy Paterson | Closing of Webinar | 12:05–12:10 a.m. | 11:05–11:10 a.m. | 8:05–8:10 p.m. | 6:05–6:10 p.m. |
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic and institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Unable to attend? Register anyway, and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:
- Dr. Mandy Paterson, University of Queensland, and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Queensland, Australia;
- Prof. Dr. Andrew Knight, Murdoch University, Western Australia;
- Prof. Dr. Dan O’Neill, The Royal Veterinary College, UK;
- Dr. Karen Rickards, The Donkey Sanctuary, UK;
- Prof. Dr. David J. Mellor, Massey University, New Zealand;
- Dr. Joe Collins, Federation of European Equine Veterinary Associations, Belgium.
