“Waking up this morning I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live each moment deeply. And to look at all beings with the eyes of compassion” - Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet

Since the online platforms went live in 2020, we have always been focused on the interconnected nature of animal, human, and planetary wellbeing. All of us at AnimalConcepts are delighted to share that we have given the interconnected platforms and membership experiences the overarching name of INTERBEING. This name is inspired by the teachings of the late global spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh.
INTERBEING is a term coined by Buddhist scholar Thich Nhat Hanh that refers to the interconnectedness of all – the insight that all beings and things exist in relationship to each other. Interbeing recognises that we are dependent on nature and also each other to live and that we do not exist outside or above nature, but are fully enmeshed within it.

...

A new paper on which AnimalConcepts founder Sabrina Brando has collaborated is available for open access. The highlights of the peer-reviewed article are:

• We used von Bertalanffy growth curve to enable age prediction of harbour porpoises.
• Harbour porpoises grow 66% during the first year.
• Asymptotic length was reached after 4 years.
• Large seasonal variations in body mass, girth and blubber thickness were evident.
• It is possible to predict individual body mass ± 2 kg using length and girth.
• Enables investigations of nutritional state by measurements of the Body Mass Index.

You can download the paper and supplemental information HERE

Another Science into Practice is available on the animal wellbeing platform, as well as new human and planetary wellbeing content. Want to learn more? Sign up HERE

Press release:

Subject:

DogPAWS - Dog Wellbeing: Applied Science, Practice & Training 

Today there is a big launch event celebrating a new platform dedicated to the care and wellbeing of dogs everywhere. DogPAWS - Dog Wellbeing: Applied Science, Practice & Training is a collaboration between AnimalConcepts, Sabrina Karl Dog Training and Dogs & Science. 

Purpose

Coming from a culture of care and compassion, and combining the most recent scientific literature and best practices, we strive to improve standards and promote excellent wellbeing for dogs in all forms of human care globally. We believe uniting science, practice and training helps to promote excellence in dog wellbeing. This trinity between science, practice & training is the core of our DogPAWS platform!

The founders of DogPAWS - Sabrina Brando, Dr. Sabrina Karl and Dr. Annika Bremhorst unite to promote excellence in dog care and wellbeing, together they have years of experience in research,...

DogPAWS is a novel online platform that provides everyone with access to continuous science-based learning, sharing opportunities, and resources needed to support optimal dog wellbeing. This platform is an international collaboration between Sabrina Brando and the team at AnimalConcepts, Dr Annika Bremhorst, and Dr Sabrina Karl. The platform kicks off with a major online launch party this Saturday from 11:00 to 18:00 GMT+1 with a series of exciting talks on dog science, practice, and training from selected scientists, experts, and practitioners around the world. You can convert your time zone HERE.

Join the party by registering via https://forms.gle/TFsjib4dpmRJC1Td7 to reserve your free online ticket and receive the launch party access link. You can find more updates also in the Facebook event HERE.

Check the draft program  & celebrate the launch of DogPAWS with us!

Another Science into Practice is...

Update on forthcoming book Optimal Wellbeing of Ageing Wild Animals in Human Care

Sabrina Brando and Dr Sarah Chapman submitted the edited volume on caring for ageing animals! After more than 2 years of collaboration with wonderful co-authors, they have finished editing all chapters and content. The book has been submitted to the editorial team at Springer Nature and is expected to be released later this summer. Many thanks to all the contributors, including the fabulous photos of individual animals and their stories. Stay tuned!

Another Science into Practice is available on the animal wellbeing platform, as well as new human and planetary wellbeing content. Want to learn more? Sign up HERE

I wonder if rain is scared of falling if it has trouble letting go, if snow flakes get sick of being perfect all the time each one trying to be one-of-a-kind. 

In light of the Interbeing, we are inspired by these beautiful words from the poem "Being Human" by poet Naima...

Supporting excellence in dog care and wellbeing is the purpose of “DogPAWS - Dog Wellbeing: Applied Science, Practice and Training”. DogPAWS is a novel online platform that provides everyone with access to continuous science-based learning, sharing opportunities, and resources needed to support optimal dog wellbeing. This platform is an international collaboration between Sabrina Brando and the team at AnimalConcepts, Dr Annika Bremhorst, and Dr Sabrina Karl. More on the founders soon!

To this end, the DogPAWS platform will provide relevant knowledge in various formats such as webinars, reading material, journal clubs, courses, hands-on challenges, and more by invited thought leaders, experts, practitioners, and scientists from various fields related to dog and animal welfare, behaviour, cognition, medicine, ethics, training, and law. DogPAWS is a standalone platform in line with the philosophy and practice of everything and everyone being interconnected.

...

Watch the welcome message from Irma Verhoeven and Sabrina Brando on planetary wellbeing. It was filmed earlier this month in the Dordogne in France, inspired by stars, the forest, all kinds of neighbours and mosses! Another year has started to learn, share, and discuss how to create a global movement towards a more just, sustainable and peaceful world for everyone.

Another Science into Practice is available on the PAWS platform!

Want to learn more? Sign up HERE

All interconnected

In 2023 at AnimalConcepts we are going to be connecting even more between human, animal, and planetary wellbeing, as well as continuing the highlights of actions, visions, and approaches through the Hummingbird Stories. We are launching some new types of resources and platforms, the team continues to develop new content as well as respond to requests while serving our global community. Do you want to learn and share together with us? You are welcome to join us for resources, links, videos, and updates in our public Facebook group HERE You can also join all resources on our interconnected platforms by clicking below

Another Science into Practice is available on the PAWS platform!

Want to learn more? Sign up HERE

A GROWING COMMUNITY

2022 has again been a challenging year for the world, in many ways, and we are proud to have represented our values and purpose of being together, providing support for connecting people to nature, and acting as a pillar for change that enhanced the wellbeing of people, animals, and the planet. We are delighted and honoured to do this together with you, welcoming diverse individuals and organisations in the animal care and wellbeing, education, research, and conservation fields. We are thankful for being on this journey with you all. With 2023 on the horizon, we are looking forward, while reflecting on all we have accomplished this year and how we can continue to do our best for ourselves and the animals we care for, and how we can support organisations and individuals in their journey towards one care.

A GROWING TEAM

Global collaboration is one of our core values at AnimalConcepts. Our internal and external team is full of experienced, diverse, and caring...

We are delighted to welcome the Israeli Primate Sanctuary Foundation as a community member to the three interconnected online platforms: Practical Animal Welfare Science (animal wellbeing), One Care (human wellbeing), and the Earth Charter & SDGs (planetary wellbeing).

The Israeli Primate Sanctuary Foundation (IPSF), is a non-profit home to 850 primates of 20 different species. It serves as a refuge for primates rescued and or retired from biomedical research and those seized from petting zoos and the exotic pet trade in Israel. The sanctuary provides primates with psychological rehabilitation through an enriched environment, physical rehabilitation, and excellent veterinary care. The foundation also has a leading role in generating standards and laws regarding primate welfare in Israel. It has implemented and carried out birth control projects in all petting zoos in Israel that house primates and has successfully and drastically reduced the illegal trade of primates in Israel.