Animal Welfare Awards for LMU Scientists

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The Forster-Steinberg Foundation honors outstanding achievements in the field of animal welfare and animal protection. The scientists received the awards alongside other prize recipients at LMU in early February.

Professor Helen Louton, Chair of Animal Welfare, Ethology, Animal Hygiene and Animal Husbandry at LMU, and Anna-Caroline Wöhr, Academic Director, board-certified specialist in animal welfare, and Animal Welfare Officer of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, received the award in the research category. They were recognized for their work on a “University Strategy Model for the Implementation of the 3Rs,” which they developed together with researchers in Vienna. The “3Rs” refer to the guiding principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement in animal-based research.

According to these principles, animal experiments should be replaced whenever possible, the number of animals used should be reduced, and methods should be refined to minimize pain and distress for the animals. The strategic framework developed by the four researchers aims to embed the 3Rs within teaching, research culture, and decision-making processes at LMU’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine as well as at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni).

Thesis Award

Meanwhile, veterinary scientist Dr. Katja Schmitt received the Forster-Steinberg Student Prize in the category of theses. She was honored at LMU for her doctoral dissertation entitled “Wild Animal Found – What Should You Do?” The interactive, multimedia e-learning tutorial developed as part of her dissertation provides practical guidance on how to respond when encountering wild animals in need. It was created in cooperation with the association Wildtierhilfe Bayern e.V. and offers practice-oriented knowledge on assessing whether wild animals require assistance, as well as on topics such as capturing and restraining animals, providing first aid, and understanding the legal and ethical foundations of wildlife rescue. It also addresses the complex relationships within the triad of animals, humans, and nature.

The tutorial is aimed at veterinary students, emergency personnel such as police and firefighters, and the general public. With this award, the Forster-Steinberg Foundation recognizes “the scientific quality and the practice-oriented approach of the thesis,” which makes a significant contribution to reducing unnecessary removal of wild animals from their natural habitats, minimizing animal suffering, and promoting the sustainable protection of native wildlife and their habitats.

Founded in 2019, the Forster-Steinberg Foundation supports animal welfare projects and promotes both research and nonprofit initiatives dedicated to animal welfare and protection. Every two years, it awards prizes for outstanding achievements in animal welfare, academic theses, and research projects. In 2025/26, the foundation is awarding prizes at Vetmeduni and LMU with a total value of more than 300,000 Euros.