Workshop 'The science of welfare footprinting: the Welfare Footprint Framework'

a Comparative and meaningful metric to quantify animal welfare and the welfare impact of different practices and policies
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED. NEW DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED.

WHY ATTEND

The workshop provide participants with the theoretical foundations and practical tools needed to assess and quantify animal welfare. It addresses one of the most pressing challenges in animal welfare science: measuring the affective experiences (negative and positive) of non-verbal beings across a variety of living conditions, production systems and species. The Welfare Footprint’s workshops have been delivered to diverse audiences across several countries, including researchers, veterinarians, industry professionals, regulatory agencies, zoos, animal protection organizations and pain scientists.

WELFARE SCIENTISTS

will be able to estimate how much suffering is associated with different welfare challenges and production systems and identify key research gaps in their subject areas.

FUNDERS, ADVOCATES, organizations

can compare, quantitatively, the welfare impact of interventions, laws and standards to reduce animal suffering.

VETERINARIANS

will be able to describe, estimate and compare the pain from different diseases and injuries with a friendly notation method and universal metric, hence treat pain more effectively.

ANIMAL SCIENTISTS

will be able to quantify the welfare costs of different nutritional, genetic and management practices, and determine the cost-effectiveness of welfare improvements for the industry.

Certification bodies

can establish objective thresholds on how much loss of animal welfare is acceptable for animal-sourced products associated with different industry practices and production systems.

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSTS

can estimate the animal welfare costs of different environmental policies, hence establish standards and legislation that do not unintentionally harm animals as a consequence.

what you will learn

Participants will develop critical skills and insights, including how to:

  • Measure and compare welfare impacts across different species, environments, and interventions.
  • Describe the progression over time of affective states and quantify them using the Cumulative Pain and Cumulative Pleasure metrics.
  • Incorporate evidence-based methodologies into welfare assessments to guide decision-making in academic, industry, and advocacy contexts.
  • Use AI technologies to streamline analyses, generate welfare assessments, and visualize insights in real time.
  • Identify and address knowledge gaps in welfare science using transparent, multidisciplinary approaches.
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STRUCTURE

Our workshops focus on hands-on application and collaborative learning, ensuring participants can immediately apply what they’ve learned. The structure includes two core modules:

  1. Theoretical Module:
  • Introduction to the Welfare Footprint Framework, including pain intensities, temporal dynamics, and cumulative metrics for welfare evaluation.
  1. Practical Module:
  • Participants analyze welfare questions of interest using the framework, with an emphasis on interactive activities, group discussions, and real-time applications of AI tools developed by the Welfare Footprint Project.
  • AI tools enhance learning by producing rapid, scenario-specific results that allow participants to focus on analyzing implications and applying findings to real-world contexts.

Participants will observe the Welfare Footprint Framework in action, using AI-generated temporary results tailored to their specific scenarios of interest. This dynamic approach enables attendees to focus on interpretation and application while the computational steps are handled by AI.

WHY JOIN?

• Acquire cutting-edge tools and methodologies for measuring animal welfare.
• Contribute to evidence-based policies and practices that improve welfare outcomes.
• Integrate diverse types of evidence—neurological, behavioral, physiological, and evolutionary—into rigorous welfare assessments.
• Collaborate with peers and experts to tackle critical welfare challenges.
• Use AI technologies to perform rapid, data-driven analyses, develop actionable insights, and visualize welfare impacts.

Workshop formats and options

  • Compact Version: A 2-hour introductory workshop focused on the fundamentals of the Welfare Footprint Framework.
  • Comprehensive Version: An intensive 8-hour workshop that combines learning with detailed practical exercises. 

The workshops can be delivered:

  • Online: free of charge.
  • In-situ: Available upon request, with travel and accommodation expenses covered by the host organization.

If you are interested in hosting a workshop for your event or organization, please contact us at workshop@welfarefootprint.org.