The role of the Animal Sentience Committee

The Animal Sentience Committee is new and was fully established on 25 May 2023, following the appointment of five new members who collectively bring a wealth of animal welfare expertise. They have joined me, as the committee chair, in fulfilling the statutory function of the committee.

To give you some background on the committee membership, I am the former chair of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England and current chairman of Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority, helping to support the long-term future of the animal medicine sector.

Professor Richard Bennett is a Professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Reading. He is also a council member of the Humane Slaughter Association and the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. He has undertaken research on the economics of animal health and welfare for over 35 years.

Richard Cooper is a practising veterinary surgeon with a passionate interest in the welfare of animals, but more specifically in the continual improvement of farm animal welfare standards at a commercial level.