Lesson horses are the heart of equestrian education in Canada. They teach beginners how to ride, help build confidence, and often serve as the first connection between people and horses. For many riders, these horses are the gateway to a lifelong passion—and for researcher Caleigh Copelin, they were the reason she entered the field of equine welfare.
The Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare (CCSAW) at the University of Guelph is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Derek Haley as its new director effective Nov. 1, 2025.
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Once again, CCSAW's students lived up to their nickname "Gwelfare" at the 2025 American Veterinary Medical Association Animal Welfare Assessment Contest held at Texas A&M University.
ACAW was established to advance the science and practice of animal welfare within veterinary medicine. Diplomates demonstrate proficiency in areas such as pain management, housing and enrichment and the development of welfare assessments across species. Sarah is not only the first graduate of both the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare (CCSAW) to achieve ACAW board certification, but she is also one of only two ACAW diplomates currently in Canada, highlighting the rarity and prestige of this accomplishment.
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CCSAW saw eight of its grad students successfully defend their theses over the winter semester. Congratulations to them all.
University of Guelph hosts 15th annual North American event focused on applied ethology
In 2015, the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare (CCSAW) launched the Saputo Dairy Care Program with a commitment of $500,000 from Saputo. Ten years later, the world’s first and only formal dairy cattle welfare training program for veterinarians is celebrating Saputo’s second investment renewal that will bring the company’s total support for dairy cattle welfare at OVC to $1.75 million.
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Veterinary forensics may sound like something out of a TV crime show, but for Dr. Shane Bateman and Gayle Ecker, Director of Equine Guelph, it’s a crucial, real-world tool to improve animal welfare—particularly for horses. Thanks to a CCSAW (Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare) mini-grant, the two have teamed up to launch a unique educational initiative that aims to give veterinarians the knowledge and confidence they need to take an active role in identifying and responding to cases of animal cruelty and neglect.
Monday, March 17th, 2025 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Read more about "How can we sustainably improve human’s relations with farm animals?"
There is no evidence yet that housing treatments meant to stimulate play reduces reactivity in piglets under stressful challenges.
Read more about "The interaction of play, genetics and robustnessness in pig surroundings"
CCSAW's mission is to improve animal welfare through research, service and teaching
