Welcome
Dear colleagues, welcome to Slovenia!
The European Veterinary Congress on Behavioural Medicine and Animal Welfare (EVCBMAW 2026) will take place on 1–2 October 2026 at Hotel Mons, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
This two-day international event brings together experts, researchers, clinicians, students, and policymakers interested in animal behaviour, veterinary behavioural medicine, animal welfare, ethics and law. Following the highly successful 2025 congress in Helsinki, the 2026 edition will gather a strong international audience from across Europe.
We are also delighted to invite industry partners to join EVCBMAW 2026 as sponsors. The congress is the leading European scientific meeting in its field, offering exceptional visibility and opportunities for collaboration with veterinarians, researchers, students, and key stakeholders in animal welfare and behavioural medicine.
The scientific programme will feature four plenary lectures covering Behaviour Medicine, Welfare, Ethics and Law, and Veterinary Forensics. Alongside plenary sessions, the congress will include a vibrant poster section and 54 short oral presentations selected from submitted abstracts, representing both major scientific tracks. Social events such as the Welcome Reception, Awards Ceremony and Gala Evening will offer additional opportunities for networking and collaboration.
Ožbalt Podpečan (Organizing Committee)
General information
Badges
We kindly request that all participants and exhibitors wear their badges throughout the congress. Access to plenary and parallel sessions will be granted only with your personal name badge.
Certificate of attendance
Following the congress, participants will receive an email with a link to a brief satisfaction survey to provide feedback on the event’s organization.
After completing the survey, you will be able to download your Certificate of Attendance.
Organising Secretariat
Wednesday 2 October
8.00 AM – 6.00 PM
Thursday 3 October
8.00 AM – 6.00 PM
Friday 4 October
8.00 AM – 6.00 PM
Slide Center
Oral presentations and speakers, poster teasers
Presentations should be provided on a USB stick no later than two hours prior to the start of the session.
Please go to the Slide Centre located at the Reception desk in the lobby with your USB stick. There will be a technical support team available to assist you upon request.
IMPORTANT: please note that it will not be possible to use your laptop for your presentation or upload your slides during the session in the auditorium.
Welcome reception and Congress Dinner
Welcome reception
Thursday 1 October (upon registration) – from 7.00 PM
Attendance to the welcome reception is free but registration is needed.
Congress Dinner
Friday 2 October (upon registration) – 7.30 PM
Committees
Local organization committee
Ožbalt Podpečan
- National Centre for Animal Welfare, Veterinary Faculty of University of Ljubljana
Scientific Committee
University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty
University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty
University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty
University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty
University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty
University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty
University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty
University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty
Programme
Thursday, October 1, 2026
10:00 – 10:30
Opening Ceremony
10:30 – 11:15
Plenary Session
Daniel Mills: A History of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine and the People Who Have Shaped It
11:15 – 12:00
Plenary Session
Mitja Šedlbauer: Beyond the Five Freedoms: The Next Generation of EU Animal Welfare Policy
12:00 – 12:30
Coffee Break
12:30 – 14:00
Parallel Session – Behaviour Medicine
Giacomo Riggio: Inside the Dog Inside the Cage: Behavioural and Welfare Implications of Domestic Crating
Irena Czycholl: The crate dilemma: Is being crated in home alone settings beneficial for or a threat to the welfare of dogs?
Sylvia Masson: Validation of the Canine Behavioral Evaluation Score (Can-BES) Using Specialist Clinical Diagnosis as the Reference Standard
Laura Saiz i Vivas: From arbitrary labels to behavioural structure: sequential analysis of dog interactions in field conditions
Pascalle Roulaux: Desexing Effects on Dog Behaviour and Owner Reported Reasons for Desexing
Vanessa Ashall: The human-animal bond and relational veterinary clinical research: informing contextualised ‘care’ in the veterinary clinic.
14:00 – 15:00
Lunch
15:00 – 16:30
Parallel Session – Behaviour Medicine
Valentina Alonso Montenegro: Use of Citalopram on dog behavior problems: preliminary results on 74 cases
Audrey Besegher: Effects of Cannabidiol- and Cannabidiolic Acid-Rich Hemp Extract on Stress-Related Behaviours in Shelter-Housed Dogs
Karen Kam: Pregabalin for Fear and Anxiety in Dogs: A Retrospective Multicentre Study of Clinical Use, Client- and Vet-Reported Efficacy, and Adverse Effects
Javier Guerra: Behavioural and Physiological Responses of Dogs to Different Olfactory Stimuli Under Double-Blind Conditions
Marie Lacoste: Therapeutic reassessment of severe aggression revealing dysthymia in a Jack Russell Terrier
Punyanuch Likitteerasub: Management of Hyperarousal and Frustration-Related Behaviours in a Juvenile Small Breed Dog: A Case-Based Report
16:30 – 17:00
Coffee Break
17:00 – 18:15
Parallel Session – Behaviour Medicine
Morgane Van Belle: Cat-related factors affecting sociability in multi-cat households
Ebru Yalcin: Fear, Anxiety, and Stress-Related Behavioural Problems in Cats Fed Using Automatic Feeders
Denise Remy: Adoption of Laboratory Cats: A retrospective Study and Improvement protocol
Christine Arhant: Sickness Behaviours in Guinea Pigs – an Online Survey in German-speaking Households
Gaëlla van Walraven: From human neuromodulation to canine behaviour: a pilot study of transcranial direct current stimulation in dogs
18:15 – 19:00
Poster Teasers – Section A
Poster Teasers – Section B
19:00
Welcome Reception
Parallel Session – Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law
Anna Rademann: Cattle and human welfare at Austrian abattoirs
Virginia Sherwin: Factors shaping treatment choices and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories use in pre-weaned calves: perspectives of farmers and veterinarians
Lina Elmersson: Cattle cleanliness on Swedish beef and dairy farms – an analysis based on animal welfare inspection reports
Rok Marzel: Beyond the “happy cow” narrative: Behavioral, physiological and production-related responses of dairy cows to the first pasture release
Genesis Cordero-Arbelo: Sheep Peripartum Behavior Score
Susanne Waiblinger: Effects of a virtual fence on heart rate variability and behaviour of goats
Parallel Session – Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law
Monika Budzyńska: Measuring Human-Animal Interaction in Alpacas and Its Relationship to Health Assessment
Barbara Padalino: How to Apply Positive Reinforcement-Based Training for Self-Loading and Self-Unloading in Dromedary Camels
Maria Francisca Ferrreira: Who is responsible for the sow’s welfare? Ethical Gaps of EU Pig Production
Eva Mainau: Automatic monitoring of sows and piglet behaviour using Computer Vision to predict the onset of farrowing and assess its progression
Anna Lena Palmetzhofer: Adapting fully slatted pens for growing-finishing pigs towards improved welfare: Effects on manipulatory behaviour and lesions
Anna Valros: Is It Possible to Rear Intact Boars with Intact Tails?
Parallel Session – Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law
Deborah Temple: Do pigs distinguish between dead and resting pen-mates?
Alenka Seliškar: Feasibility and limitations of a single-lumen peripherally inserted central catheter in pigs
Alexandra Harlander: Pushing the Limits of Flight: Biomechanical Constraints on Vertical Movement in Laying Hens
Evangelia Sossidou: Effects of dietary supplementation with Lactobacillus Plantarum and Yarrowia lipolytica yeast on performance and welfare indicators in broilers
Friday, October 2, 2026
9:00 – 10:30
Plenary Session
Mitja Gombač: The Role of the Veterinary Pathologist in Cases of Suspected Animal Abuse
10:30 – 11:00
Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:30
Parallel Session – Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law
Karen Hiestand: Ought to Report? Navigating Animal Abuse and Neglect in UK Veterinary Practice
Frida Lundmark Hedman: Farm animal welfare offences in Swedish courts
Kirsi Swan: Veterinarians as Assessors in the Pretrial Phase of Criminal Proceedings: An Empirical Legal Study
Denise Remy: A Study of the French Veterinary Code of Professional Conduct and the Ethical Dilemma between the Moral Duties towards the Animal and the Client
Ida Blomfjell: What is ‘fair’ in animal welfare inspections? Understanding the animal keepers’ perspectives
Andrew Knight: Animal Welfare Concerns During Carbon Dioxide Stunning of Pigs and Chickens
12:30 – 13:30
Lunch
13:30 – 14:30
Poster Sessions
14:30 – 15:45
Parallel Session – Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law
Chiara Mariti: A Survey of Italian Veterinarians Expert in Animal-Assisted Services Part 1: the Welfare of Involved Cats and the Working Setting
Giulia Russo: A Survey of Italian Veterinarians Expert in Animal-Assisted Services Part 2: the Suitability Evaluation of Involved Cats
Anne Quain: Undervalued, underestimated, understudied and overdone: nail clipping in dogs and cats impacts welfare of patients and veterinary team members
Eleonora Uber: Do Animals Think and Feel? Views on Animal Emotion and Cognition amongst children in Karamoja (Uganda)
Manuel Magalhães-Sant’Ana: Do Humans Have a Moral Obligation to Be Vegan? A Reflective Equilibrium Approach
15:45 – 16:15
Coffee Break
16:15 – 17:00
Sponsors Presentations
17:00 – 18:00
Awards
19:30
Gala Event
Parallel Session – Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law
Camille Bezancon: Proposed definition of abandonment and closed list of reasons for dogs and cats to enter and leave the care of facilities and organizations
Ana Margarida Fernandes Araújo: Low-Stress Handling in Dogs: Improving Safety, Welfare, and Clinical Outcomes
Caroline Gilbert: Canine-assisted intervention and best practices: the case of Snoopy, an auxiliary care dog at Institut Curie, France
Pantaleo Gemma: An Investigation into Dog Owners’ Perspectives and Management Strategies Regarding Firework-Related Behavioural and Welfare Issues in the Maltese Islands
Julia Miller: Association of Age at Adoption and Attachment Style in Companion Dogs
Peter Sandøe: Which Factors Predict Successful Treatment of Canine Separation-Related Problems? A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Survey of Scandinavian Dog Owners
Parallel Session – Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law
Beatrice Benedetti: Development and application of a tailored welfare assessment protocol for horses kept in groups at pasture
Rita Campilho: Welfare of Stabled Horses in Portugal – Preliminary Results
Emanuela Dalla Costa: Smart monitoring of horse behaviour using non-invasive sensors: clinical applications and welfare implications
Olivia Curry: Pain-Related Expressive Change in Horses: A Novel Application of Qualitative Behaviour Assessment
Gemma Pearson: First reported use of Memantine as part of a multi-modal analgesic regime in horses
Lynne Sneddon
Professor Sneddon is an award-winning scientist that has worked for over two decades on topics that have advanced fish health and welfare and used her research to drive the agenda for the improved treatment of fishes. She first discovered nociceptors in fish in 2002 and has since conducted research on understanding the capacity for pain in fishes and other aquatic animals as well investigating ways to improve the welfare of zebrafish. Sneddon currently leads her team, the Aquatic Animal Welfare (AAW) group, at the University of Gothenburg investigating how to improve the way we treat fishes, decapod crustaceans and cuttlefish.
Donna Snellgrove
Dr Donna Snellgrove is currently the Fish Research manager at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute. Having worked there for the past 22 years she is responsible for the Fish team and all the research undertaken in the Aquacentre. Their research develops novel solutions for the Mars Fishcare business, providing scientific and translational support to strengthen existing and to create new claims for Fishcare products. Both fundamental and applied research is conducted with a diverse range of ornamental fish species, covering numerous research disciplines. Research is conducted at Waltham and at various Universities in the form of PhD studentships. As a fish nutritionist she is responsible for their fish food formulations, integral to product development, advising sales and marketing, raw material specification and regulatory aspects associated with food products.
She has a BSc degree in biological sciences and marine biology from the University of Plymouth, an MSc in biological research methods from Exeter University, and a PhD from Plymouth in fish nutrition and physiology. Post-doctoral research was based at the University of Connecticut (US), involved culturing seaweed (Porphyra sp.) for use in integrated aquaculture.
She also represents Mars Fishcare at the UK Pet Food Association, as the Chair of FEDIAF’s small animal working group and the current Chair of the Board of Directors for the UK’s Ornamental Trade Association.
Evening events
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Theme: Study day afterwork.
Venue: Les Caractères, 25 Rue des Grands Augustins, 75006 Paris — check here
Times: 6:00 pm to midnight
*All study day participants are invited to this event.
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Theme: Wine and cheese tasting with vegetarian options
Venue: ASIEM, 6 rue Albert de Lapparent, 75007, Paris
Time: from 6:00 pm to 12:00 am
*The registration is free but mandatory.
Friday, October 4, 2024
Theme: Closing gala of the congress
Venue: Le Petit Boutary, 16 Rue Jacquemont, 75017 Paris
— In a quiet street in Les Batignolles, chef Romeo Agbodjan welcomes you to his kitchen, set up directly in the heart of the restaurant, with unique, relaxed but refined and original surprise menus, changed regularly according to the market and the seasons. Check here.
Time: from 7:30 pm to 12:00 am
*Registration and payment via the web.
Venue
Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons
Pot za Brdom 4, 1000
Ljubljana,
Eslovenia
Accommodation
Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons offers EVCBMAW 2026 participants special accommodation rates. All rooms provide modern amenities, free Wi-Fi, and relaxing views of the hotel’s green surroundings.
The reservation of the accommodation is to be arranged directly with the selected hotel.
Accessibility information
The hotel is easily accessible from major European cities. Below you’ll find the most convenient travel options to help you plan your journey.
Nearest Airports
The most convenient international airports are:
- Ljubljana Airport (LJU) – ~20 minutes drive to Ljubljana
- Trieste Airport (TRS), Italy – ~1.1 hour drive to Ljubljana
- Zagreb Airport – ~1.2 hours drive to Ljubljana
- Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), Italy – ~2 hours drive to Ljubljana
- Pula Airport (PUY), Croatia – ~2 hours drive to Ljubljana
We recommend Ljubljana Airport for the shortest and most direct transfer.
Airport Transfers & Car Rentals
- Shuttle services and private transfers are available from Ljubljana and airports closest to the event (see GoOpti).
- Car rental is widely available at all airports, and driving to Ljubljana is straightforward with scenic routes.
- Taxis and ride-share services like Uber are also available.
Ljubljana Railway Station connects to Vienna, Zagreb, Trieste, Munich, Budapest.
Taxi to hotel: approx. 10–15 minutes
International and domestic lines arrive at Ljubljana Bus Station.
From city centre: approx. 10 minutes by taxi
The hotel is directly located on Ljubljana’s highway ring.
Easy access from Austria, Italy, Hungary, and Croatia
Large on-site parking.
Charging stations for electric vehicles
How to get to Ljubljana
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is located 20 km from the centre of Helsinki. From the airport you can get to Helsinki city centre by train (30min), bus (40-50 min) or taxi (30 min). Helsinki airport transport connections here.
There are also 19 other airports in Finland (see here).
Ferries from Tallinn and Stockholm bring passengers directly to Helsinki city centre. From Travemünde, the ferry arrives at the Port of Vuosaari, about 15 km from the city centre (60 min by bus-metro, 30 min by car). All ferries also take passengers by car.
The distances are long in Finland, but public transport works well, and the roads are mostly in good condition. You will find information about public transport, driving and foreign driving licenses in Finland here
Registration
Registration will close once the maximum capacity of 300 participants is reached.
Members*
Early Bird Price-
380 € Regular Price
-
Admission to the sessions
-
Lunch on both days
-
Coffee breaks
-
Welcome Reception
-
Gala Event
Non members
Early Bird Price-
420 € Regular Price
-
Admission to the sessions
-
Lunch on both days
-
Coffee breaks
-
Welcome Reception
-
Gala Event
Students
Early Bird Price-
250 € Regular Price
-
Admission to the sessions
-
Lunch on both days
-
Coffee breaks
-
Welcome Reception
-
Gala Event
Accommodation
Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons offers all participants of the 2026 EVCBMAW more favorable prices of accommodation at the locations listed below.
The reservation of the accommodation is to be arranged directly with the selected hotel.
Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons
* * * *
From 160 EUR/night
- Includes buffet breakfast
- Includes use of indoor pool
- Includes use of fitness center and sauna
Welcome reception
Free of charge but registration needed.
Thursday 19th shortly after the end of the congress presentations.
Stazione Leopolda di Pisa.
* Members of ECAWBM, ESVCE, AWSELVA in good standing for 2024
Social dinner
65 euros and registration needed.
Friday 20th October.
Shuttle bus from Pisa included.
Villa Poschi.
Not gala dinner.
– No fee to ECAWBM enrolled residents and their supervisors.
– Other attendees €100.
Topic: the latest scientific updates on the behaviour and welfare of rabbits, ferrets, small mammals, chelonia, lizards, and snakes.
Sponsors
Useful contact details
Confedent international
Questions regarding registration, payments and accommodation:
Please fill free to contact us: info@evcbmaw2026.org