Pr Anouck Haverbeke

Anouck Haverbeke qualified as a veterinarian from Ghent University (Belgium) in 2001 and defended her thesis on horse welfare at the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain). She later obtained a PhD in Ethology at the University of Namur (Belgium) in 2009, with research demonstrating that positive training enhances both the welfare and performance of military dogs.

Since 2013, she has been recognized as an EBVS© European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine (ECAWBM-BM). She has been the President of the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine (ECAWBM) and continues to contribute actively to the field. In 2021, she was appointed Professor in Veterinary Behaviour Medicine at Ghent University.

Alongside her academic role, she conducts veterinary behavioural consultations at her private practice Vet Ethology and collaborates with various institutions and private organizations to teach animal behaviour. A frequent lecturer in Belgium and abroad, she specializes in animal behaviour and human-animal interactions.

Her research focuses on improving animal welfare through behavioural and environmental interventions. Key areas include the effects of positive training methods on dogs and horses, the impact of olfactory enrichment with essential oils on multiple species, and the influence of housing conditions on equine welfare. Additionally, she explores grief and emotional processing in dogs as well as the effects of neuromodulation on anxious dogs. Some of these projects are conducted in collaboration with the Salto research group (Agro- and Biotechnology, Odisee University College).