When Science Meets Policy: A Milestone for Animal Sentience
The London School of Economics (LSE) has announced a groundbreaking new Research Centre dedicated to animal sentience, led by philosopher Prof. Jonathan Birch. The Centre will explore how animals experience the world, and how this knowledge ought to inform human responsibility and policy. At Sentience, we celebrate this development as a sign that the future of animal welfare lies in both science understanding and political action. It reinforces our long-held belief: the concept of sentience must be at the heart of decision-making.
A major step forward in the scientific and political recognition of animal sentience was announced last month: the London School of Economics (LSE) will launch the Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience in autumn 2025. Directed by philosopher Professor Jonathan Birch, the Centre will focus on understanding how animals experience the world, and how this knowledge ought to inform public policy, moral guidelines and legal protections. The Centre’s work will be interdisciplinary, spanning philosophy, neuroscience, economics, AI, law and more.
At Sentience, we welcome this development with enthusiasm. As an NGO dedicated to embedding animal welfare into political systems, we see LSE’s new Centre as a powerful validation of our core belief: the concept of sentience must be at the heart of decision-making.
This global investment in sentience comes at a pivotal moment. In Switzerland, we are on the brink of rethinking the moral status of animals through our upcoming popular initiative to give outdoor access to all farm animals. The launch of the Centre aligns with our ongoing efforts to advance evidence-based policy reforms that reflect the needs and experiences of non-human animals.
Shaping public attitudes towards a more compassionate world for animals
By producing rigorous, robust and interdisciplinary research, the Centre will strengthen the scientific foundations of animal welfare policies. This is directly relevant to our work at Sentience: we rely on credible, policy-relevant research to support our campaigns and legislative proposals. As the Centre’s findings inform policymakers and public discourse, they will also reinforce our efforts to position the concept of sentience as a legal and political priority in Switzerland and beyond.
We believe this new Centre will accelerate momentum across Europe for smarter, more compassionate policy—whilst also validating and amplifying the work of advocacy organisations like ours. We look forward to engaging with its research, building bridges between science and political action, as well as contributing to a more just society for all sentient beings.
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