We would like to celebrate the phenomenal career of our Director, Professor Harry Blokhuis who is due to retire at the end of December 2025. Harry is a well-known, leading animal welfare scientist. Born in the Netherlands, Harry was inspired by Dutch Nobel Prize winner Nico Tinbergen.

During his studies at Wageningen University in The Netherlands, Harry “became aware of the relevance of behaviour studies to improve housing and management and the welfare of farm animals. Through stimulating teachers like Prof Jos Metz and Prof Piet Wiepkema I developed my interest in applied ethology and started a scientific career in this area”.

He was awarded his PhD ‘The development and causation of feather pecking in the domestic fowl’ in 1989. At this time he was appointed as Head of the Poultry Science Department, Centre for Poultry Research ‘Het Spelderholt’, The Netherlands. His leadership roles continued in the Netherlands, until 2007, when he was appointed as Professor of Ethology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden and continued in this role until 2024.

Harry is best known for coordinating Welfare Quality® (WQ) which involved approximately 250 scientists from all over Europe (and beyond) to develop systems for assessment of farm animal welfare. The Welfare Quality Network continues to stimulate research and upgrading of the assessment protocols. He also coordinated the European Animal Welfare Platform, aimed at helping European producers to implement higher standards for animal welfare and EUWelNet which evaluated the feasibility of a European network of reference centres for animal welfare (what great foresight!).

Harry was involved in numerous other research projects such as the AWARE project;  EU-PLF project dealt with implementation of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) systems on farm level. The HENNOVATION project focused on the potential of innovation led by producers and industry practices through the establishment of innovation networks to make their business more efficient and sustainable.

Currently Harry coordinates the EU funded PATHWAYS project (2021-2026). It aims to design transition pathways that address societal demands for the provision of resilient, safe, nutritious and affordable livestock-based food, while reducing environmental impacts.

In 2021, Harry was appointed as Director of the third European Union Reference Centre for Animal Welfare (EURCAW) – Ruminants & Equines. He has created a successful partnership within EURCAW Ruminants & Equines, steering the Centre into it’s third work programme.

In 2022, the Swedish University for Agricultural Sciences awarded the Grand Medal of Merit to Harry, for his distinguished career in the field of ethology, with a focus on animal welfare. His research, which has resulted in over 300 scientific articles, has been original, innovative and of high quality.

Harry has been a tremendous leader in the field of animal welfare in Europe and beyond throughout his career. Thanks to his vision, his project management skills and his outstanding interpersonal qualities, he has been able to engage large scientific communities in major projects. We would like to thank him for paving the way for many colleagues and young researchers in the field of animal welfare science. Harry has shown remarkable leadership throughout his career. Please join us by wishing him every joy during his well-deserved retirement.