Responsible dog ownership and illegal breeding among headline topics at animal welfare conference

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) will host its Animal Welfare Conference next week bringing together leading experts, regulators, and practitioners for a programme addressing some of the most pressing issues in the sector.

The half-day programme will include case studies of animal welfare cases sharing good practice, as well as regulatory and legislative updates impacting the work of environmental health professionals in this area.

The event kicks off with a session delivered by Sharon Edwards, Consultant Animal Health Inspector at the City of London Corporation, in which she will cover policy and regulatory updates for local authorities, including the Animal Welfare Act and recent changes to primate legislation.

The next session will look at the new jointly developed responsible dog ownership policy framework by the RSPCA and the Dogs Trust, with speakers Lee Gingell, Public Affairs Manager at the RSPCA and Ruairidh Nichols, Public Affairs Manager at the Dogs Trust.

A first of two case studies at the conference will be delivered by Andy Newnham and Georgia O’Brien from the London Borough of Hounslow who will give insights on an illegal dog breeding case in their area.

There will then be a presentation on the Innate Health Assessment tool for local authorities with speakers including Dr Daniel O’Neill, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College.

The programme rounds off with a second case study session on how Colchester City Council is working collaboratively with the ‘Paws on the Doors’ scheme to drive higher animal welfare standards.

Nikki Pearson, Head of Membership Services at CIEH, said:

“Our Animal Welfare Conference brings together the leading voices working at the frontline of animal protection. By combining policy updates, sector insights and real‑world case studies, we’re equipping professionals with the knowledge they need to drive higher standards and tackle emerging challenges.

“Join us for a packed programme showcasing the innovation and collaboration happening across the sector which will be hugely valuable and insightful for both members and non-members interested in this subject.”

For more information and to book a place, visit: https://www.cieh.org/events/2026/february/cieh-animal-welfare-conference/