Sheep can recognise at least 50 flock mates: they are able
to think about them when they are absent. Elephants mourn their dead,
sometimes placing their bones in one spot. N’Kisi the parrot knows 1,000
words and creates grammatically correct phrases to communicate with
humans. Lizards can sense pleasure, wood mice create “signposts” from
sticks and stones to guide each other, pigs can use deceit to gain
advantages…
Scientist after scientist is discovering what many pet and
animal keepers have believed for years: that animals are thinking,
feeling, sentient beings who, to a greater or lesser extent, experience
emotions just like us - even those once considered uniquely human, such as
joy, love and grief. Now a ground-breaking international conference
organised by the Compassion In World Farming (CIWF) Trust is to explore
astonishing discoveries about the depths of animal sentience and examine
the profound effects these might have on the way we treat non-human
species.
“From Darwin to Dawkins: The Science and Implications of
Animal Sentience” is being held at London’s prestigious Queen Elizabeth II
Conference Centre on 17-18 March 2005. Speakers include the world’s
foremost experts in animal science and leading names in agriculture and
food, conservation, government policy, education, philosophy and ethics -
people who collectively play a key role in the setting of world standards
on animal welfare. A keynote address will be given by renowned primatologist Dr Jane Goodall, DBE, United Nations Messenger of Peace.
Delegates from 43 nations will hear how our rapidly
increasing awareness of animal sentience might affect all areas of human
life, from farming to retailing and government policy - and also the ways
in which these may have to change.
Joyce D’Silva, CEO of the CIWF Trust, says: “We have been
overwhelmed by the response to the conference: one European government
alone is sending 30 delegates. But we’re even more pleased with the impact
the conference is set to have globally. It places animal sentience firmly
on the global agenda. It’s a subject that all governments and businesses
will have to address, not least because consumer concern about the
treatment of animals will more and more influence spending patterns in the
coming decades.”
This is a unique conference and will provide a wide range
of news and feature material. For information about speakers and their
work, requests for interviews, details of how to attend and further
general information please contact:
Carol McKenna, conference press officer on +44 (0) 1962 793003, mobile:
07979 805169 or email:
carolmckenn@aol.com
For detailed information of the event, full programme and
speakers biographies visit:
www.ciwf.org/conference2005
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