We study the interplay between humans and animals in society with a particular focus on animal welfare and its improvement. We use approaches from psychology, ethics, and social sciences to investigate human attitudes and behaviour towards animals.

Animal welfare science only makes sense within the context of human societies. Domestic animals are manipulated genetically, developmentally and environmentally by human activities, and those activities are profoundly influenced both directly and indirectly (e.g. through economic pressures) by human attitudes, knowledge, and related factors. Human behaviour change is therefore a powerful route to improved animal welfare, and understanding the drivers behind human attitudes and behaviour, and evaluating the optimum strategies for encouraging change, are legitimate fields of investigation for our group. We study the underlying psychological and societal influences on human attitudes to animals, and the ethical structures that influence how we treat them (e.g. attitudes and perceptions to companion animal welfare problems; farmers’ attitudes towards lameness in cattle and tail-biting in pigs; attitudes amongst veterinary surgeons).