Animal Welfare Advocacy

• Tuesday 25 February
• 12.00-14.00
• Museum of Literature Ireland, St Stephen's Green, Dublin
• (opens in a new window)Register

Animal Welfare Advocacy, part of the Institute's Environment and Democracy Dublin city centre seminar series, will explore the role, impact and capacity building needs of animal welfare advocacy in Ireland, and explore the contrasting opinions of the status of animal welfare in the state.

This event is hosted by the UCD Earth Institute in partnership with UCD School of Veterinary Medicine and includes presentations by Professor Siobhan Mullan (UCD Professor of Animal Welfare and Veterinary Ethics), Caroline Rowley (Founding and Director of Ethical Farming Ireland) and, Mark D’Alton (UCD Veterinary Ireland Welfare Committee) and Jerry Mac Evilly (Friends of the Earth Ireland).

Panel

Prof Siobhan Mullan (UCD) is a veterinary surgeon who worked in practice before transitioning away from clinical work to focus on research to deliver large scale, long term impactful improvements in animal welfare. She is particularly interested in the intersection of animal welfare with other societal priorities such as environmental concerns and how these play out in policy formation. She is a member of the Farmed Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and the Advisory Committee on Companion Animal Welfare and Chair of the Brachycephalic Working Group.

Caroline Rowley is the founder and director of Ethical Farming Ireland, a farm animal welfare group that campaigns against factory farming and live export. It is comprised of a small group of volunteers, with a growing membership and following on social media. The tagline is ‘campaigning for a better existence for all farm animals that doesn't cost the earth’ and the goal is to support high welfare, more sustainable farming systems where animals can fully carry out all natural behaviours. The main activities involve raising public awareness of cruel practices, live export in particular, and working with other groups across Europe to push for changes in legislation.

Mark D’Alton Director Biomedical Facilities, Designated Veterinarian and Compliance Officer, UCD. Member, Veterinary Ireland Animal Welfare Committee. Passionate lover of the outdoors with a deep concern about what we are doing to our planet and the animals we share it with.

Jerry Mac Evilly is Friends of the Earth’s head of policy and advocacy. Jerry has over 15 years' of experience in developing, researching and influencing policy in the government and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to joining Friends of the Earth, he led the advocacy work for Coalition 2030 on the SDGs and the Stop Climate Chaos coalition. He has also held policy positions in the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Oireachtas, the CRU, as well as Trócaire and Self Help Africa. He is a member of Ireland’s National Economic and Social Council (NESC) and EirGrid’s National Advisory Committee.