Newsletter -
Although Britain is considered to be a nation of animal lovers there aren’t many
events where we can learn more about our pets and other animals.
Learning About Animals was set up to provide information and promote interest in the welfare and behaviour of animals. The aim is to bridge the gap between professionals/scientists working with animals and the public.
If you have any suggestions for future events or if you would like to be considered to be a speaker please contact me.
I am also a qualified equine behaviourist and run consultations in Surrey and the Home Counties. For more details please visit the relevant section of the web site.
EVENTS LIST
Here are just some of the events that are planned for 2010 -
- Cat behaviour morning 1: dispelling myths about cats and their behaviour (February
20th 2010; half-
day event with veterinary behaviourist Amber Batson) Details
- Cat behaviour morning 2: feline communication -
the body language of cats (April 10th 2010; half-day event with veterinary behaviourist Amber Batson) Details
- Science in a Nutshell series (various speakers):
Science in a nutshell: the physiology of behaviour (day event with Emma Lethbridge March 13th 2010 Details)
Science in a nutshell: how animals learn
Science in a nutshell: animal sentience
Science in a nutshell: the science of animal welfare
• A walk in the park -
- Understanding canine aggression (day event; details coming soon)
- Horses: exploring the latest findings in equine cognition (morning event; speaker to be confirmed soon)
And that’s not all, some very well known speakers will be giving talks about other aspects of animal behaviour
For details of past events click here
The views expressed by the speakers are not necessarily those held by Learning About Animals
Welfare in Dog Training Campaign
Recently a group of animal welfare, training, behaviour and veterinary organisations
joined together to speak out against aversive dog training methods, which are often
based on the erroneous myth that dogs need to be ‘dominated’ by their human owners.
This myth is perpetuated by some of trainers on TV. For details of the campaign see
the web-
This is great news for the welfare of dogs and will lead to the spread of accurate information about dog behaviour and training.
For more information on the myths of dominance in wolf behaviour and how it relates to dogs see the following links:
Leaflet produced by AVSAB
Mech, L.D. (2008) What Happened to the Term Alpha Wolf? International Wolf, Winter
2008, pp.4-
Sign the petition “Say NO! To punitive training, dog whispering and outdated behaviour
therapy” -
Book recommendation:
Minny’s Dream
Written by Chickens’ Lib founder Clare Druce this moving story for 8-
This book tackles some serious ethical issues but is uplifting rather than depressing and gives a very accurate picture of chicken behaviour. It manages to paint a picture of life for a battery hen without being ‘preachy’ or judgemental for the people involved in the industry. It is also a gripping adventure.
Available from www.lulu.com and Hillside Animal Sanctuary:
http://www.hillside.org.uk/acatalog/Books.html
Quote
When one tugs at a single thing in nature,
he finds it attached to the rest of the
world.
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Behaviour videos on You Tube
You Tube is a fantastic place to find some really good resources about animals and their behaviour. Below are just a few examples:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3ZzKzwPJts
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Two-
Who was the first guy that look at a cow and said, "I think that I'll drink whatever
comes out of those things when I squeeze them?" ~Bill Watterson
The wild ancestors of cattle were ‘aurochs’ (not pictured left, that is just a nice
picture of a cow!) -
Cows have been found to form ‘friendships’ that can last for years. It is thought
that cows can recognise 50-
Cattle can make lots of different noises, not just the ‘moo’. However, selective breeding for muscle in the neck region means that domestic cattle are unable to make the same noises as herds that have been less intensely farmed. Camargue bulls, for example, are said to have a call, hoot and roar as well as the moo.
Calves usually stand within 30-
The friendly cow, all red and white,
I love with all my heart:
She gives me cream with
all her might,
To eat with apple-
~Robert Louis Stevenson
The Lurchers have Landed
In November sadly our elderly terrier’s days were over and a dog-
In late November we adopted Pebbles, a saluki cross greyhound 8 month old puppy and the search was on to find her a friend. In late December we adopted Woody, a lab or retriever cross greyhound, about 7 months old. When they aren’t zooming round or being mischievous (Woody has been seen with all four feet on the kitchen work tops!) , they snooze a lot.
They’ve settled in well and in the next Newsletters I’ll update you about what we are teaching each other!
Brrrrr......Winter feeding for garden birds
In winter, birds might have difficulty finding normal food supplies such as berries, insects, seeds, worms and fruit. You can help them to get through the winter by feeding them.
The RSPCA recommends the following food for garden birds:
- peanuts in shells threaded together on string
- unsalted peanuts in feeders
- wild bird seed
- pastry, stale cake, biscuits and breadcrumbs (moisten the bread if it’s very dry)
- cooked rice, potato and pasta
- bruised fruit such as apples and pears.
The RSPB’s guide to what to feed and what not to feed is here. The guide explains which species of bird prefer what food and other useful information.
Keep an eye out for....
....this book by Mark Bekoff -
Product description on Amazon: “In this inspirational call to action, Marc Bekoff,
the world’s leading expert on animal emotions, gently shows that improving our treatment
of animals is a matter of rethinking our many daily decisions and “expanding our
compassion footprint.” He demonstrates that animals experience a rich range of emotions,
including empathy and compassion, and that they clearly know right from wrong. Driven
by moral imperatives and pressing environmental realities, Bekoff offers six compelling
reasons for changing the way we treat animals — whether they’re in factory farms,
labs, circuses, or our vanishing wilderness. The result is a well-
Featured Speaker: Amber Batson
Amber Batson has done many talks for Learning About Animals before about dogs and
we start 2010 with Amber talking about cats!
Since qualifying as a vet in 1999 from the Royal Veterinary College, Amber has worked in both small animal and equine practices before spending some years as a vet and lecturer at a centre specialising in animal behaviour, education and medical rehabilitation. In 2008 she returned to Surrey where she works as a vet and behaviourist. Her primary area of interest is improving animal welfare through client education with the aim to assist owners and professionals in prevention of both illness and behavioural problems.
Some of the things that people said after the last workshop Amber did for LAA:
“I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot, I particularly like Amber’s analytical, yet
simple explanations, backed up whenever possible with scientific data and research.
I am inspired by her enthusiasm and a ‘there is always a solution to a problem’ approach,
we live in times where animals are so easily discarded because of their ‘faults’
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““I repeat that I think every dog training class and puppy class should hear what she had to say.”
To book a place on either of the two cat mornings see the web site or e-
Web site: Pampered Piggies
This web site is a great resource for any interested in guinea pigs. There is a lot
of information about natural foods you can and can’t feed your guinea pigs and an
online shop that sells a surprisingly large range of things just for guinea pigs!
Boarding in Surrey is also offered.
Fundraising idea
Dinner4Good is an easy way to raise money for your favourite charity -