The Center for Animals and Public Policy was founded in 1983 at Tufts University. Its guiding vision was an institute for higher education and policy reflection that would investigate the ethical, legal, social, scientific and policy dimensions of human-animal studies.

The Center has pursued this vision ever since. Our work includes a Masters in animals and public policy, an ethics and values curriculum for the vet school, scholarly research in human-animal studies, as well as policy-informing research that promotes the health and well-being of people, animals and their environments. Our mission is 'to support and encourage scholarly evaluation and understanding of the complex societal issues and public policy dimensions of the changing role of animals in society. Work conducted by the Center is based on the tenet that animals matter in and of themselves, that human and animal well-being are linked, and that both are improved through enhanced understanding of their interactions'.

The Ethics and Values Signature Program (ESVP)was established in 1980. Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (TCSVM) was the pioneer in taking ethics to heart, and embraced a values-informed curriculum. Today, the program focuses on a wide range of normative issues related to the practice of veterinary medicine, and the status of animals in society. In this sense, the Center's work lies at the very heart of the School's curriculum.

The Master of Science in Animals and Public Policy (MAPP) was established in 1995. Students in this accelerated program are immersed in the history, philosophy, theories, methods, and policy dimensions of human-animal studies. After graduation, our students follow a variety of career tracks in the private, public and independent sectors. These include graduate school, law school, non-profit organizations, corporations, and government service.