Professor Anna Meredith joins newly formed Animal Sentience Committee to support animal welfare in policymaking. A specialist wildlife veterinarian has been appointed to a newly established UK Government committee dedicated to consideration of animal welfare in policymaking. Professor Anna Meredith, Personal Chair of Zoological and Conservation Medicine, has been appointed to the Animal Sentience Committee, which will consider how central government policy decisions take account of animal welfare. She will take part in the Committee's work to ensure the Government considers the ways in which any policy might have an adverse effect on the welfare of animals as sentient beings. Expert panel Professor Meredith has more than 30 years’ experience as a veterinary clinician and researcher working with exotic animals and wildlife. She is one of five new experts appointed to the committee, which has been established in enactment of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, passed in 2022. The committee will publish their views on whether ministers have fully considered the welfare needs of animals as sentient beings when developing and implementing policy. Ministers must respond to these reports through a written statement to Parliament, within three months. Conservation specialist Prof Meredith is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and European Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, focused on wildlife and conservation medicine. She has extensive governance and governmental advisory experience in the UK and overseas, including being Chair of the UK Government’s Zoo Experts Committee for 10 years. I’m pleased to be appointed to the Animal Sentience Committee and look forward to working with other members and with policymakers to deliver the aim of highlighting the welfare needs of animals. Professor Anna MeredithRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Related links Animal Sentience Committee About the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is a one-of-a-kind centre of excellence in clinical activity, teaching and research. Our purpose-built campus, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Pentland Hills Regional Park, is home to more than 800 staff and almost 1400 students, all of whom contribute to our exceptional community ethos. The School comprises: The Roslin Institute The Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems The Roslin Innovation Centre The Hospital for Small Animals Equine Veterinary Services Farm Animal Services Easter Bush Pathology The Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education We represent the largest concentration of animal science-related expertise in Europe, impacting local, regional, national and international communities in terms of economic growth, the provision of clinical services and the advancement of scientific knowledge. Publication date 26 May, 2023
