Editorial Team
Prof. Heather Bacon
Dean of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lancashire, United Kingdom.
Professor Heather Bacon is a veterinarian and Head of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Lancashire, where she has developed a new curriculum which aims to equip veterinarians of the future with the practical, problem-solving, and ethical-reasoning skills to solve complex global issues. She holds a personal chair in Clinical Animal Welfare; the integrated study of applied animal psychology, health, and behaviour to improve animal welfare in relation to clinical activity. She has worked internationally on veterinary education and animal behaviour and welfare projects for over 18 years at the University of Lancashire, the University of Edinburgh, and prior to that as the Veterinary Director of Animals Asia. Additionally, she continues to work with many charity and veterinary organisations to promote veterinary education and animal welfare around the world. Heather is the outgoing Chair of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s Animal Welfare Committee and has recently been elected to the WSAVA Executive Board. Heather’s research interests include changing human behaviour to improve the welfare of animals and the integration of animal health, behaviour, and psychology to improve animal welfare, especially in clinical settings.
Main Research Areas
- Clinical welfare of companion animals
- Applied animal behaviour
- Pain
- Applied animal welfare science
