The international society for applied ethology: Going strong 50 years on

In 1966 in Edinburgh, Scotland, a group of far-sighted veterinarians formed the Society for Veterinary Ethology with the aim of improving knowledge about the behaviour of domesticated animals. The findings of a UK government committee, investigating intensive livestock production methods, published in 1965, had made it clear that such information was urgently needed. In this chapter we describe the development of this society and how it changed from a group of 37, mostly Scottish, founder member veterinarians to an international society with about 550 members, the majority of whom are not veterinarians. This evolution in the interests of the membership led the society in 1991 to change its name to the International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE). The Society has had a special relationship with the journal 'Applied Animal Behaviour Science' (formerly 'Applied Animal Ethology') since 1974 and it is now the official journal of the Society. The Society has had, and continues to have representation on committees and boards relating to animal behaviour and animal welfare throughout the world, and continues to evolve and work to raise both its profile and that of applied ethology globally; a bright future for the Society and applied ethology seems assured.