April 11th & 12th 2026
SOME OF THIS YEARS SPEAKERS (see below for full list)
Dr Eduardo Fernandez
Dr. Risë VanFleet
Dr Karolina Westlund
Prof Marc Bekoff
After an incredible first year 2025, this one-of-a-kind online event is back for 2026. We have brought together 14 incredible speakers, all offering different insights into emotional wellbeing for animals.
We have leading voices from across the animal care sector – Academia, Veterinary, Zoos, Training, Grooming and Rescue/Shelter. The content is designed to support our understanding of the importance of emotional wellbeing across species, and includes information about dogs, cats, horses, birds and exotics.
The mission of this conference is to bring all the animal care sector together behind one simple message “Emotional Wellbeing Matters for all species”, and to bring world class speakers offering the very latest in the understanding of emotion wellbeing. This year we have another incredible lineup of presenters.
Prof Marc Bekoff, Dr. Risë VanFleet, Dr Eduardo Fernandez, Dr Karolina Westlund, Matthew Rendle, Jo Mason, Sue Williamson, Victoria Shepherd, Sowjanya Vijayanagar, Debbie Busby, Katie Gwilt, Helen Motterham, Julia Robertson and Karin Pienaar
BOOK YOUR SPACE TODAY!
13 incredible speakers from all areas of animal welfare with one message: Emotional Wellbeing Matters for all species.
Just £130!
BOOK TICKETSPLUS If you would like to watch the incredible presentations from 2025 you can also access those for just an extra £30, and you will be able to access those talks straight away!
Andrew Hale from Dog Centred Care and Pet Remedy returns to host the event live and curate the wonderful chat and networking for those attending for the weekend.
The event will be recorded and available for 8 months after the event.
SPEAKER NOTES & BIOS
Prof Marc Bekoff
In conversation with Marc Bekoff – The importance of the individuals lived experience
A professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Marc has published more than 30 books. He has won many awards for his research on animal behavior, animal emotions (cognitive ethology), compassionate conservation, and animal protection, works closely with Jane Goodall as co-chair of the ethics committee of the Jane Goodall Institute, and is a former Guggenheim Fellow. He also has worked closely with inmates at the Boulder County Jail. In June 2022, Marc was recognized as a Hero by the Academy of Dog Trainers. His books include The Animals’ Agenda: Freedom, Compassion, and Coexistence in the Human Age, Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do , Unleashing Your Dog: A Field Guide to Giving Your Canine, A Dog’s World: Imagining the Lives of Dogs in a World Without Humans, Dogs Demystified: An A to Z Guide to All Things Canine, the second edition of The Emotional Lives of Animals:, and Jane Goodall at 90: Celebrating an Astonishing Lifetime of Science, Advocacy, Humanitarianism, Hope, and Peace. Currently, Marc and Jane are writing a young kid’s book. In 1986, Marc won the Master’s
Matthew Rendle
Bird Brains! Importance of welfare and wellbeing for exotic birds
Matthew Rendle started his veterinary nursing career in 1989, with experience in nursing care for many species from ants to elephants (and most things in-between), he has been fortunate to travel extensively across the world as part of his roles.
Matt has been involved in veterinary politics for many years and currently is an elected member of the RCVS VN council. Matt is the Chair of AZEVN which he helped found in 2016 to provide CPD for nurses working with zoo, exotics, and wildlife species. Matt also is a member of the board of ACOVENE, who help promote and support veterinary nursing education in Europe. Matt is also a veterinary partner for Wildlife Vets International, leading on veterinary conservation projects for vultures, sea turtles and white-naped Mangabey. At home Matthew cares for his collection of 30 reptiles and hangs out with his Bengal cat, Olive.
Sue Williamson and Victoria Shepherd
Wellbeing in the Grooming Environment – one step beyond welfare
SUE BIO:
Sue has been a life longer dog lover, starting with her own dog when just 4 years old, when she was given a toy poodle (Tina) by a relative. This sparked Sue’s desire to become a dog groomer, but she would have to wait another 50 years until this dream was realised. After Tina passed away, Sue had to wait another 20 years to get another dog, since then she has lived with a number of dogs, Kelly, Taz, Kira, Raffi, Chic, Ritzi and Talis.
On leaving school, Sue went into administration until Jan 2016, when she decided that life was too short to spend time in a job where management made life difficult, and chose to train as a dog groomer.
On completion of the Dog Grooming training at L.A. Spa and Groom, Sue immediately opened her own salon in a log cabin in the garden. Sue had already decided that she wanted to offer grooming to those dogs who struggled with the grooming process, as she knew that Tellington Ttouch would help many dogs.
After achieving Tellington Ttouch Practitioner in 2016, Sue started delivering one day Tellington Ttouch workshops to groomers. She soon realised that the training most groomers undertook were lacking in dog behaviour, and in particular important topics that were not covered included body language and trigger stacking, so these topics were also added to the workshop. In 2019 Sue finalised her first book Taking the Grrr out of Grooming Your Dog, followed by Taking the Grrr out of the Grooming Salon and Introducing Your Puppy to Grrr-less Grooming. Since then Sue has become one of the leading Grooming Behaviour Specialists and provides education to other groomers through her Facebook Group Taking the Grrr out of Grooming Dogs and Educational Portal.
Sue continuously studies canine related courses to enhance her grooming and education for other groomers.
VICTORIA BIO:
Originally from Salt, Staffordshire, Victoria returned to the UK in September 2020 after living in the US for nearly 30 years. She has had many careers over the years, including investor relations consultant, voice and on-camera talent for the official US Tourism website, and video/podcast producer to name a few. Victoria started Happy Henry’s! as a passion project to get through COVID but has grown into way more than Victoria could have hoped for. Victoria is a Certified Holistic Grooming Behaviour Specialist through the Holistic Grooming Academy, a Taking the Grrr Out of Grooming Dogs Approved Professional, a games-based trainer with Level 4 certification in Canine Behaviour, Training and Welfare, and is currently a Canine Behaviour Level 6 student. She hopes to never stop learning and finding ways to help more dogs who struggle with navigating the world, both inside and outside of the grooming salon, and is excited and honoured to be a part of this year’s Emotional Wellbeing Online Event
Sowjanya Vijayanagar
Social deprivation in dogs
SPEAKER NOTES:
In this, I would like to approach the idea of how wellbeing is not just individual – it’s communal and ecological. Street dogs in community care are part of functioning urban ecosystems where multiple species’ wellbeing is interconnected. Removal policies focus on human welfare while destroying community wellbeing. True urban animal wellbeing requires coexistence models that honor the whole ecosystem, not just humans
BIO:
Sowjanya is a certified Canine Behaviour Consultant, Applied Ethologist, and founder of Dog Pawmise (est. 2020), where she works with dog parents to build harmonious, connection-based relationships with their dogs using a biosociopsychological approach. She holds the BHARCS Applied Canine Biosociopsychology and Ethology Diploma from BHARCS, India, specializing in canine communication and human-dog interactions. Her practice is rooted in unconditional dog parenting principles inspired by Gentle Parenting, centering each dog’s physical, emotional and social well-being.
Sowjanya is dedicated to observing, recording, and learning from free-living street dogs. Through this work, she advocates for evidence-based insights drawn from dogs’ natural behaviors and lived experiences. Beyond individual consultations, she creates educational content, leads community coexistence programs, contributes to research projects advancing applied canine ethology, and has spoken at international conferences on dog parenting. She also brings an intersectional lens to her work, examining how social structures shape dog parenting practices and human-dog relationships.
Sowjanya credits her dogs, Sammy and Zoey, as her greatest teachers who inspired her journey into canine behavior, alongside the street dogs of her community who continue to teach her invaluable lessons about resilience, social intelligence, and what dogs truly need to thrive.
You can reach Sowjanya via –
Email: do********@***il.com
Website: www.dogpawmise.com
Instagram Handle: @dogpawmise
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dogpawmise
Debbie Busby
Relational wellbeing and the horses lived experience
This presentation explores the increasingly important distinction between animal welfare and animal wellbeing, using the horse as a central case study. While welfare frameworks provide essential measurable baselines, they often fail to capture the relational, emotional and contextual dimensions that shape an animal’s lived experience. Drawing on equine behaviour science, relational theory, and clinical casework, this talk challenges the assumption that meeting basic welfare requirements alone equates to genuine wellbeing and expands the conversation toward a deeper understanding of what it means for a horse to feel safe, connected, engaged and able to express agency. Delegates will gain insight into how horses communicate subtle changes in emotional state, how human behaviour influences equine wellbeing, and how welfare decisions can sometimes conflict with wellbeing outcomes. The session highlights practical principles for improving the everyday experience of horses, primarily focusing on equine practice, with brief cross-species comparisons to illustrate universal wellbeing principles
BIO:
Debbie Busby is a clinical equine behaviourist and practising psychotherapist whose work places emotional wellbeing at the heart of equine care. She founded her international consultancy in 2006 and was among the first in the UK to achieve the highest level of registration with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC). Debbie is the author of the first clinical equine behaviour book to integrate behavioural science and the psychology of equine emotional wellbeing directly into practice, offering accessible guidance for behaviourists, vets and students, as well as for candidates preparing for assessment. She provides clinical supervision for behaviour practitioners and acts as an expert witness in equine legal cases. Debbie lectures internationally on equine behaviour, communication and human behaviour change, and is currently undertaking interdisciplinary doctoral research into horse-human relationships, embodiment and wellbeing at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Links: Equine Behaviour in Practice: https://www.routledge.com/Equine-Behaviour-in-Practice-Understanding-Horses-and-Treating-Behaviour-Problems/Busby/p/book/9781032947143
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-busby-consultancy/
Website: https://evolutionequine.wordpress.com/
Facebook horses: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionequinebehaviour
Facebook dogs: https://www.facebook.com/DebbieBusbyCanineBehaviour
Equine Behaviour and Training Association: http://www.ebta.co.uk/
Katie Gwilt
Using herbs to enrich the lives of cats
BIO:
Katie Gwilt, known as The Kat Lady, is a dedicated feline groomer, behaviourist, and zoopharmacognosy practitioner who helps cats feel calm, confident, and cared for — inside and out. Based in the UK, Katie combines her deep understanding of feline behaviour with her gentle, welfare-focused grooming approach to create positive experiences for even the most sensitive cats. Her work goes beyond appearance — Katie focuses on the whole cat: their emotional wellbeing, natural instincts, and physical comfort. Through low-stress grooming, behavioural support, and the mindful use of zoopharmacognosy (allowing cats to self-select natural remedies), she helps restore balance and trust between cats and their owners. Whether she’s untangling mats with patience, easing stress through scent and choice, or supporting multi-cat harmony, Katie’s philosophy is simple: every cat deserves to be understood and treated with respect. As The Kat Lady, she continues to educate and inspire cat guardians to take a compassionate, holistic approach to feline care — helping cats live happier, healthier lives.
Helen Motteram
My raven journey – the challenges and ethical dilemmas of a rehabber
The resilience of our Raven: Queen Keefe, looking at the rare condition of cerebellar hypoplasia
BIO:
Hello I’m Helen Motteram, a corvid specialist (the family that includes rooks, crows, jays, magpies, jackdaws and choughs). I am also a Rehabber, Coach for other Rehabbers and Professionals and a dog and bird Behaviourist.
My love of animals started from a young age, setting up my own nature club, and campaigning relentlessly for our four legged and feathered friends. I then started my studies at Preston university, focusing on farm, zoo and companion animals welfare and behaviour. It was a challenging time, in which I saw some emotional things, but these guided me to having the knowledge and experience to help others today. After that I graduated and went on to do more work in animal rescue, eventually setting up an online community to help other pet professionals and bird rehabbers.
My insight and journey into corvid behaviour started 10 years ago when I met my best friend Russell Crow, then he sent me a special gift on national crow and raven appreciation day – a raven called Glen. Here I started a new fascinating journey with these remarkable birds. But all was not plain sailing, many of these birds including Glen came with additional needs and health issues. More recently I met a very special raven called Keefe in which my talk will be focused on. It’s bittersweet but her condition cerebellar hypoplasia opened up a door to understanding neurological issues in birds and questioning if they are truly fulfilled.
Julia Robertson
Galen Myotherapy – Positive Pact –
a choice led protocol
BIO:
Julia Robertson’s extensive contributions to the field of canine myotherapy are truly remarkable. Her pioneering work in understanding and treating adaptive change in dogs has had a profound impact on the lives of thousands of dogs worldwide. Through her organisation, Galen Myotherapy, Julia has not only treated numerous dogs but has also trained countless individuals in her innovative techniques.
Her development of Positive P.A.C.T.®, Galen’s unique methodology for ‘choice led treatment,’ reflects her commitment to providing compassionate care to animals in pain. Furthermore, Julia’s efforts to raise awareness about the correlation between canine pain and behaviour have led to the formalisation of the Galen Comfort Scale©, which is now used in studies and treatments globally.
As a published author of four books and producer of two DVDs, including the award-winning ‘Tongue to Tail,’ Julia has further solidified her reputation as an expert in the field. Her books, such as ‘How to Build a Puppy into a Healthy Adult Dog’, ‘Physical Therapy and Massage for the Dog’ and ‘The Complete Dog Massage Manual,’ have become essential resources for veterinary professionals, students, therapists, trainers, and dog owners alike.
Julia Robertson’s ongoing commitment to advancing the field of canine myotherapy and improving the lives of dogs underscores her status as a luminary and leader in her field. Her contributions continue to shape the way we understand and care for our canine companions.
Remedial myotherapy and canine rehabilitation specialist
Dip. CMT Dip. CEP. ITT NCTMB (USA) Canine ITEC
Dip (ITEC) Sports and Remedial Massage Therapy, Equine & Human
Dip Canine Myotherapy
C.A.M. (Canine Arthritis Management) Advisor
Member of The Institute of Anatomical Sciences
Karin Pienaar
From welfare to wellbeing – rethinking emotional standards in animal care
Karin will be exploring the shift from basic welfare compliance to the more nuanced, emotionally intelligent approach of considering wellbeing as an integral part of comprehensive care.
BIO:
Karin began her career in animal behaviour therapy after completing her studies in Animal Behaviour Science in the United Kingdom in 1997. She is a published author, a COAPE Certified Animal Behaviourist (C.C.A.B), and manages the Centre for Applied Behaviour and Training International (CABTi). She also serves on the UK Behaviour and Training Charter Committee and is an ICAN Certified Animal Behaviourist (C.A.B).
Karin presents extensively at conferences both locally and abroad about animal emotionality. She is the creator of the MHERA method – an intuitive framework for assessing, tracking, and supporting the emotional and behavioural wellbeing of animals. To enhance its practical application, she developed the
MHERA App, a professional tool that simplifies assessments and significantly reduces report-writing time for professionals. MHERA has been successfully implemented across a wide range of species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and in settings ranging from domestic care to captive wildlife management. Her first book, Mood Matters: MHERA – An Innovative Assessment Approach to Animal Emotionality in the Treatment of Behaviour Problems, was published in 2023 by DogWise (USA). She is currently writing her second book, which explores the application of MHERA to improve the wellbeing of animals living under professional human care.
In addition to her academic and professional contributions, Karin plays an active role in policy and welfare initiatives. She serves on the South African Government’s task team for the safe guardianship of Pitbulls, sits on the AAWHC Welfare Committee and collaborates with the Department of Agriculture’s GDARDE team on the development of wildlife wellbeing protocols.
Dr Karolina Westlund
Through different lenses – seeing the whole animal by combining behavioural sciences
BIO:
Karolina Westlund helps pet owners and animal professionals get reasonably well behaved, happy animals that thrive in the care of humans. She’s an associate professor of ethology who’s left academia to blog, give webinars and teach online courses about animal behaviour management. Her interdisciplinary approach (applied ethology, applied behaviour analysis and affective neuroscience) is centered on animal welfare and humane training techniques.
Jo Mason
Why we train in zoos – the impact on animal welfare and human wellbeing
BIO:
Jo Mason is a highly experienced animal training consultant and qualified lecturer, with over 25 years of expertise in animal behaviour and training. She currently serves as the Education and Training Officer for the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria (BIAZA) Animal Behaviour and Training Working Group, where she plays a key role in shaping professional development across the sector.
Jo is the co-creator, author, and co-deliverer of the BIAZA Level 3 Animal Trainer and BIAZA Level 4 Animal Training Instructor courses—the only accredited programmes in the UK that support the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) Zoo Animal Trainer Accreditation List. These pioneering courses have set a national standard for excellence in zoo animal training education.
She has delivered workshops for a wide range of training professionals, zoological collections, and organisations. Through her business, Educating Animals, Jo designs and delivers bespoke training workshops tailored to the needs of animal training professionals. She has supported hundreds of trainers—from zoo staff to independent dog trainers—and taught thousands of students throughout her career.
In her current role as Regional Academy Manager for Guide Dogs in the South of England and Wales Jo continues to apply her passion for teaching and training, helping to shape the next generation of guide dog professionals. She also works closely with Paignton Zoo as their dedicated training consultant, providing ongoing support to keepers and enhancing animal welfare through effective training practices.
Dr. Risë VanFleet
The animals perspective and its value for unsocialised and highly fearful dogs
BIO:
Dr Eduardo Fernandez
Behavioural science – where welfare and wellbeing need to be
BIO:
Dr. Eduardo J. Fernandez is the Animal Behaviour Program Director and a Senior Lecturer of Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare in the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Adelaide (Australia). Most of his work involves behavioral research applied to the welfare, enrichment, and training of zoo, aquarium, and companion animals. His general research focus is on animal welfare and the applied animal sciences, largely influenced by learning and evolutionary theories and perspectives. He currently runs the Exotic Enrichment and Learning (EEL) lab, which focuses on improving the lives of animals located in zoos, aquariums, and wildlife parks. Many of his past publications and presentations as well as current research can be found on his ResearchGate profile:
