About


What is ICAWC?

The International Companion Animal Welfare Conference (ICAWC) was developed by its organisers with a belief in working towards a world where no healthy companion animal is destroyed for want of a caring home with responsible owners.


ICAWC is dedicated to:

* Elevating the level of care for companion animals

* Promoting positive animal welfare legislation

* Developing and promoting educational programmes to encourage better understanding, appreciation and care of companion animals

* Assisting animal welfare organisations in strengthening their projects

* Providing a platform for the interchange of ideas that impact on companion animals

* Through “Strength in Numbers” making the world a better place for companion animals


Who is involved in ICAWC?

Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, founded in 1891 and now has 17 Rehoming Centres across the UK. Dogs Trust believes that no healthy dog should be destroyed and last year looked after in excess of 16,000 dogs. Dogs Trust’s mission is “to work towards the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction”, and goes to great lengths to achieve this mission.

The charity works with like-minded European animal welfare charities offering support, advice, education, health and welfare programmes.

Clarissa & PoppyClarissa Baldwin OBE

Clarissa Baldwin, ICAWC Chairman, is the Chief Executive of Dogs Trust, a post she has held for 20 years. Prior to this she was Head of Public Relations at Dogs Trust, joining the charity in 1974.

Among other posts, Clarissa is Chairman of the Welfare Committee for the Pet Plan Charitable Trust, a Trustee of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, SNIP International and Chairman of the Greyhound Forum, and the Pet Advertising Advisory Group.

Clarissa is the author of Dogs Trust slogan “A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas”.


Where is the ICAWC conference held?

ICAWC was first held in Budapest in 1996 and initially took place every 18 months, but due to its popularity the Conference is now is held every year in October/November.   ICAWC 2009 took place in Budapest, Hungary, following the success of 2008 in Stresa, Italy.

Previous ICAWC locations are:

* Budapest 2009

* Stresa 2008

* Berlin 2007

* Ljubljana 2006

* Dubrovnik 2005

* Warsaw 2004

* Prague 2002

* Istanbul 2001

* Sofia 1999

* Bratislava 1998

* Budapest 1996

Those presentations and supporting notes that are available from past conferences are available for download from the Resources section.