John Binks

I am a lecturer in Animal Science, with specialism in the use of sensory enrichment on dog behaviour. My interest in ethology stems from experience working with a range of domestic and exotic species, within UK animal care businesses. My primary interests include the use of sensory environmental enrichment as a tool to improve captive animal welfare and influence human perceptions of animal behaviour, both of which may hold potential to promote enhanced wellbeing in animals (e.g. mitigating stress in shelter dogs can influence expression of desirable behaviour and subsequently the success of rehoming efforts). Other areas of interest include animal welfare assessment methods, animal cognition, and attitudes towards the use of invertebrates as sustainable food for pets.

I completed my postgraduate degree at Hartpury University (MRes Animal Behaviour & Welfare) following completion of a BSc (Hons) degree in the same subject area. Upon completion of my undergraduate studies, I was awarded the British Veterinary Association Foundation Trophy and I received the Postgraduate Scholarship Prize following completion of my masters.

I am programme tutor for the BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour & Welfare degree programme at Hartpury University, and have worked with all levels of the programme since 2017. In addition, I work within a departmental team to help support the wider student experience at programme and module level. I also teach on the Access to HE course, supporting students in further education to prepare for undergraduate study. This involves teaching in a range of modules, including Land-based Skills, Animal Science & Welfare, and Animal Management & Behaviour.

The modules I lead at undergraduate level include Animal Welfare Assessment, Animal Psychology, Management of Domestic Animals, Reviewing Literature, and Fundamental Skills for the Animal Scientist. I also support wider module teams on modules such as Animal Behaviour and Introduction to Animal Welfare.

Since completing my postgraduate degree, I have supervised over 25 projects at masters and undergraduate level. In particular, I enjoy working with students with a drive to engage with external organisations during completion of research. These have included rescue shelters, animal welfare charities, veterinary practices, and zoological collections.

My primary research interests revolve around animal welfare and use of environmental enrichment in captive settings. The latter was a main focus of my postgraduate and undergraduate theses, in which I explored the efficacy of olfactory and auditory stimulation on the behaviour of shelter dogs. This resulted in an interest towards methods used to optimise adoption and rehoming efforts within rescue shelters, and strategies to reduce stress in animals housed in captive environments.

To build upon my understanding of the influence of captivity on animal welfare, I enjoy exploring topics linked to animals’ awareness of their surroundings, including theory of mind, animal communication, and affective states.