Charlotte Burn

Charlotte Burn is an Associate Professor in Animal Welfare and Behaviour Science at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), leading the BSc in Animal Biology, Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics and serving as Deputy Head of the Animal Welfare Science and Ethics group. Her research focuses on animal sentience, emotional experiences (e.g., boredom, happiness), and welfare improvements through multidisciplinary approaches. She holds a BA from the University of Oxford (1999), an MSc from the University of Edinburgh (2001), and a D.Phil. from Oxford (2006), supervised by Prof. Georgia Mason.

Key research contributions include studies on laboratory rat welfare, equine welfare in developing countries, and welfare challenges in companion animals like rabbits and dogs. She advocates for evidence-based welfare practices and chairs initiatives like the UK Reproducibility Network to enhance scientific rigor. Notable awards include the UFAW Early Career Prize (2012) and the Marjorie Whittingham Prize (2014).

• Education:
  • BA Biological Sciences, University of Oxford (1999)
  • MSc Applied Animal Behaviour & Welfare, University of Edinburgh (2001)
  • D.Phil., University of Oxford (2006)
• Research Interests:
  • Sentience and emotional experience in animals
  • Boredom and environmental enrichment
  • Breed-related welfare issues (e.g., lop-eared rabbits)
  • Welfare assessment methodologies

Her articles address welfare in rabbits, horses, dogs, and invertebrates, emphasizing translational research to improve husbandry practices. She collaborates with organizations like the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation and leads RVC’s Animal Welfare Science and Ethics group.