Applied animal welfare science

Since 2002, the Brooke has worked in close partnership with a research team at the University of Bristol School of Veterinary Science. The aim of this partnership is to provide a quality, research-informed foundation and support for Brooke’s field programmes. The University of Bristol is a world class institution with an international reputation in animal welfare assessment and improvement, including work on the management and relief of pain in many animal species.

All research by the University of Bristol equine welfare research team is carried out to the highest ethical standards and approved by the University’s ethics committee. Unfortunately there are enough animals in poor condition in Brooke’s countries of operation to study them for many years to come; we never will create artificial conditions of poor welfare in order to provide research information. We are committed to the principle that all animals taking part in research will leave better off than when they arrived, including appropriate treatment for any problems identified, rest and a good meal.

Spin-off studies from the above research projects will be carried out in each country by local Brooke staff, combining their wealth of field experience with the most up-to-date methodology in the field of animal welfare science. These will include studies of eye disease and its associated risk factors, anaemia and poor immune function, poor body condition and other subjects that arise as the need for scientific underpinning is identified in the field.