The UFAW Medal and award for Outstanding Contributions to Animal Welfare was presented to Professor Donald Broom at the Federation’s Conference ‘Recent Advances in Animal Welfare Science V’ which was held in York on the 23rd June.
The UFAW Medal recognises exceptional achievements of individual scientists who have made fundamental contributions to the advancement of animal welfare over a number of years. The award is open to individuals, anywhere in the world, whose research, teaching, service and advocacy has significantly benefited the welfare of animals. UFAW was very pleased this year to recognise the remarkable achievements of Don.
Appointed in the mid-1980s as the first professor of animal welfare in the world, Professor Donald Broom has had an exceptional and sustained influence on animal welfare science thinking in the United Kingdom, Europe and many other countries. The breadth of his contributions to the discipline, the seminal nature of his evolving thinking at the moving frontiers of its development during the past 30-35 years, and his unfailing encouragement and support for others who have participated in and made their own distinct contributions to this science are exceptional. With well over 350 peer-reviewed publications, books and textbooks to his name it is not possible to read learned treatises or other commentaries on animal welfare science without frequent reference to Professor Broom’s thinking.
Not only did Professor Broom contribute to developing the frontiers of the science at a fundamental level, but he also applied that understanding to the practical care and protection of farm, companion, working and wild animals, both terrestrial and aquatic, on an impressively wide front. This experience has underpinned his sustained, insightful and influential contributions to UK national, European and wider international standard setting bodies and advisory agencies, often in recognised leadership positions as chairman or vice chairman of those groups, including as Chair of the E.U. Scientific Veterinary Committee, Animal Welfare Section for seven years and Vice-Chair of subsequent E.U. committees, including the EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare, for twelve years.
Accordingly, he has greatly influenced the science-based development of UK and international animal welfare laws, regulations, directives and advisory documents. Professor Broom has also collaborated actively with many scientists and others who possess complementary expertise, who he simultaneously encouraged to refresh the science by developing their own areas of thinking in animal welfare science. Many of them, distributed widely on a global scale, are now well-recognised figures in their own right. He has a wide network of contacts with opinion formers in other countries. He still regularly lectures overseas and continues to be very supportive of young scientists.