1. The Animal Welfare Foundation
  2. Education & Debate
  3. The Discussion Forum

The AWF Discussion Forum

AWF Discussion ForumThe AWF Discussion Forum is an annual event that brings together expert speakers, veterinary and animal welfare professionals, students and parliamentarians to confront current welfare issues and inspire change.  It offers great networking opportunities that continue into the evening.

This flagship event has raised the profile of many serious animal welfare issues and has helped influence policy decisions, leading to changes in the regulations and laws governing the welfare of animals.

The programme is carefully designed to appeal to a wide range of delegates who are encouraged to engage fully in the discussions which form an integral part of each session.

  1. “The AWF Discussion Forum just gets better year on year. It's highly valued by all, not only for the discussion, but the conversations that take place in the margins.”

    John Blackwell, Veterinary Surgeon

  2. “From a student perspective it was interesting to see the views and proposals people had on choices that would potentially alter our future careers.”

    2017 student delegate

  3. “"Always one of the highest quality events of the year." ”

    2016 Delegate

Discussion Forum 2022

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News

  1. Discussion Forum 2022 – AWF Chair reflects on the day

    Last month we held our first ever hybrid Discussion Forum, exploring a plethora of animal welfare issues including ‘extreme breeds’, pest control, gene editing and ‘overtreatment’ in the equine world. In this piece, AWF Chair Julian Kupfer reflects back on the day, the themes that came out of it, and why a platform like the […]
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  2. Meet our student researchers – Matt Goins

    Thinking of applying for an AWF student research grant? Find out what it’s like to undertake a student research project and get advice from previous researchers in our mini Q&A series. Research topic: Characterising the abandonment and relinquishment of exotic pets in Ireland   Name, degree, university Matt Goins, MVB (5th year), University College Dublin   Research […]
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  3. Meet our student researchers – Madeline Heys

    Thinking of applying for an AWF student research grant? Find out what it’s like to undertake a student research project and get advice from previous researchers in our mini Q&A series.   Research topic: Investigating the usage of enrichment feeding for pet dogs and the associated perceived benefits and challenges Name, degree, university Madeline Heys, […]
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  4. Meet our student researchers – Katherine Duffy

    Description   Thinking of applying for an AWF student research grant? Find out what it’s like to undertake a student research project and get advice from previous researchers in our mini Q&A series. Research topic: A novel intervention for cat hoarding: 3 year follow up Name, degree, university Katherine Duffy, BVM BVS, University of Nottingham Research […]
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  5. Eddie Clutton on the topic of overtreatment

    We’ve been speaking to Eddie Clutton, who is speaking in our Innovation and Overtreatment session at this year’s Discussion Forum. Eddie Clutton is an expert in the field of veterinary anaesthesia and will be debating the motion “Uncontrolled treatment innovations are detrimental to welfare” with Karen Humm. Eddie sees overtreatment as a huge problem, which […]
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  6. Project in a pandemic: what an AWF student grant taught me about research

    The Covid-19 pandemic has changed our lives in many ways, both personally and professionally. Normal routines had to be adapted, and pre-pandemic plans changed. For our 2020 student grant recipients, this was especially true. In this blog, Kerry Long talks us through her experience of carrying out her project ‘Identifying maternal and post-natal effects on […]
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  7. Meet the speakers – Q&A with Jimmy Turnbull

    As the drive for cheap, efficient and environment-sparing livestock agriculture continues to grow, can intensive farming ever be good for both welfare and sustainability? That is just one of the questions we will be asking ourselves at this year’s Discussion Forum. Recently we spoke to Professor Jimmy Turnbull, vet, aquaculture specialist and Discussion Forum speaker, […]
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  8. Funding research for better welfare

    AWF funds five new research projects designed to move the dial on key animal welfare issues.
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  9. BVNA ‘This is Us 2020’

    Calling vet nurses! We are thrilled to announce that AWF will be hosting a debate as part of BVNA’s ‘This is Us 2020’, a two-day online event dedicated to celebrating veterinary nursing. AWF has previously held animal welfare debates at BVNA Fringe and we welcome the opportunity to continue having these important discussions, but with […]
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  10. Completing research in a pandemic – a student’s experience

    Funding student research is an important part of what we do, giving students an insight into the world of research and the opportunity to make a practical difference to animal welfare. In 2019 we granted funding to Sheryl Bradley, an MSc student of International Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law at the University of Edinburgh, for […]
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