Dr. Helen Howell Dog Behaviour Expert

04/07/2026

This week at the ISAZ conference in Paris I presented our research explaining how we developed an evidence based brief dog bite risk assessment for child safeguarding in family homes. It was great to meet so many dedicated researchers passionate about learning more about human-animal interactions and to share our work on an international stage. Thank you ISAZ for a great conference.

04/06/2026

This week I had the opportunity to speak at the UK Animal Law Conference in Birmingham. My presentation explained why there is a need for experts conducting dog behaviour assessments to take an evidence based approach, which would not only be more predictive but also more ethical than many current methods.
I was able to talk about the research we have done at the University of Lincoln and the development of structured professional judgment guidance for the assessment of dog bite risk. It was amazing to see so many professionals all with the same aim of ensuring animal law works effectively to protect animals and people. There were so many incredible people presenting fascinating research. Great to catch up with friends and colleagues and make new connections.

14/05/2026

Today I had the opportunity to deliver a guest lecture for the canine behaviour and training students at Reasheath College and University Centre. It was great to be able to share my experiences as an expert witness and talk about the research we have conducted at the University of Lincoln and why there needs to be a shift towards evidence based practice. I am hopeful that I have inspired some of the students to become expert witnesses in the future.

02/04/2026

I am pleased to share our latest research paper looking at the opinion of professionals around factors that influence the likelihood of human directed dog aggression. This was a really valuable study that supplemented our systematic review of the scientific literature and highlighted areas that would benefit from future research. Only by developing an in-depth understanding of factors that may increase risk will we be able to develop effective risk assessment processes and dog bite prevention strategies. Thank you to all the professionals working with dogs who took part in this study.
The paper can be found here-

01/04/2026

This week I attended the Emotional Wellbeing in Animals Conference in beautiful Torquay. It was really heartwarming to spend time with so many people who genuinely want to make things better for pets and their people. Lots of amazing speakers and great to catch up with good friends.

17/03/2026

I had a lovely afternoon at the University of Lincoln today talking to the MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour students about expert witness work and my PhD. Hoping to inspire some of them to become the expert witnesses of the future!

06/03/2026

09/02/2026

❌ Consultation ends in just 4 days ❌

Defra is asking pet owners, vets, rescue groups, and animal lovers to share their views on an important issue:

👉 Should vets be legally required to scan microchips before euthanasia?

Scanning a microchip can alert a Rescue Back Up Contact and confirm keeper information before a life is tragically and unnecessarily lost.

This could make a real difference especially to rescues and pet owners who have been unable to gain access to their pets medical records due to GDPR (which does not legally apply to an animals data but is consistently inappropriately used) and to those rescues and owners who have not been able to obtain justice through the RCVS complaint system.

How you can help 👇

🐾 Share your views on and complete the official survey on the Defra Citizen Space portal 👇

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/pet-travel-and-traceability/scanning-microchips-prior-to-euthanasia/

📧 Email Defra directly and send your thoughts to:

[email protected]

⏰ Deadline: 10 February 2026

Defra wants to know whether current professional guidance is enough or if stronger laws are needed to better protect pets and the people who love them.

Whether you’re a pet parent, a rescue volunteer, or simply someone who cares about animal welfare, your feedback can help shape the future of microchipping laws in England.

You do not need to complete every section of the consultation. If parts do not apply to you, you can skip them and focus on the areas that matter most to your experience.

Let’s work together to keep pets safe 💕🐾

23/01/2026

Bronson’s owner wrote this emotional song after Bronson was seized. It is so lovely to see them reunited. Welcome home Bronson! 🐾🐾