The recording of her recent talk at Faculty of Vet & Ag Sci can be accessed here 
Presented Tuesday 28 June 2022
Dr Bidda Jones AM BSc(Hons) GradDipPub PhD
In This Talk: Australians care about animal welfare, and their level of concern is growing. But what does this mean for the systems in place that govern how we house, care for, and interact with animals? Do our laws, regulations, and animal welfare standards live up to community expectations, or match what contemporary science tells us about what animals need to experience in terms of good animal welfare? Dr Jones has devoted her career to improving the lives of animals through using science to affect policy change. In this talk, she reflects on her experiences as an animal advocate, and consider what reforms are needed to ensure the interests of animals are heard and respected.

About the Presenter: Dr Bidda Jones is the former Director of RSPCA Australia, whose career with that organisation spanned 25 years, including her recent appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia for her services to animal welfare science and advocacy. Dr Jones is an Honorary Associate with the Sydney School of Veterinary Science. Her research interests focus on improving the welfare of animals in Australian society, from companion animals, animals in sport, native and introduced wild animals, to humane killing and slaughter. Dr Jones is a regular panellist at the Robert Dixon Memorial Symposia and is co-developing an introductory OLE unit on understanding animal welfare. She has published over 35 reports, book chapters, and peer-reviewed articles, and has represented animal welfare interests on numerous national committees and as an invited speaker at multiple conferences, workshops and symposia.

You can download the narrated presentation and a pdf of Cassandra's presentation at the University of Melbourne. Animal Welfare Assurance - ​https://www.animalwelfare-science.net/seminars.html

Many thanks to Mike Mendl, (University of Bristol) who delivered a very thoughtful presentation on Assessing Animal Affect at the University of Melbourne on 15th May.
His presentation is available to download as a pdf  or as a video file at our Vimeo site.

 Wednesday 15th May 2019
2.00pm – 3.00pm
VETERINARY PRECLINICAL SCIENCES-214 [SMALL THEATRE]
Corner Flemington Rd and Park Dr, Parkville VIC 3052 - (Entry to building from Park Drive)

​RSVP before 3rd May to Jeremy Skuse

​Mike obtained a PhD in animal behaviour at Cambridge University in 1986. He then took a Royal Society European Research Fellowship to continue his work on behavioural development at Groningen University in the Netherlands, before returning to work at Cambridge University Vet School where he moved into the field of applied animal behaviour and welfare. He subsequently took up a position as a Behavioural Scientist at the Scottish Agricultural College in Edinburgh, continuing his work on pig behaviour and welfare, and then moved to Bristol University Vet School where he is now Professor of Animal Behaviour and Welfare
His current research interests are in the study of cognition, emotion, and social behaviour in domestic animals, with a view to using this information to improve animal welfare. Together with Dr Liz Paul, he developed a novel ‘cognitive bias’ approach to the assessment of animal emotions which draws on theory and findings from human psychology and cognitive neuroscience.
Mike was awarded the UFAW Medal in 2014 for his contributions to animal welfare science, and the RSPCA/BSAS Award for Innovative Developments in Animal Welfare in 2015. Mike also works on more applied animal welfare issues, with current interests in the relationship between housing and husbandry procedures and the health and welfare of farm, laboratory and zoo animals, and chronic pain conditions in domestic dogs.

Since the 1950s, farm animal breeding has incorporated many new technologies to enhance food production. With the most recent introduction of technologies for genome editing, animal breeders now have another tool to improve not only performance, but also to address important traits related to health, environmental sustainability and animal welfare.
In this public seminar, which will be accessible to both scientists and members of the general public, we will learn about some new technologies that are being used in the livestock sector. RSVP before Feb 11 to jskuse@unimelb.edu.au