We welcome submissions on any topic pertaining to Zoo and Wildlife Health. If you are unsure, whether or not your submission fits withing the scope, please have a look at the scoring rubric and the guidelines. 

Abstract Submission Key Dates

• Last day for submissions 21 December 2025

• Review results (acceptance, request for edits) provided by 1 February 2026

• Presenting authors must register for the conference by 8 February 2026

• Finalized abstracts submitted by 15 February 2026

• Final results by 15 March 2026

• Accepted posters uploaded to the conference platform: 3 May 2026

  
  

Abstract Submission Guidelines

Submissions must adhere to the conference manuscript guidelines. Please download these using the link below. Non-adherence to these guidelines will have a negative impact on selection.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MANUSCRIPT GUIDELINES

Remember! To submit an abstract you need to register an account on the Oxford Abstracts platform. BE SURE to register the email you want to use for all communications regarding your abstract, and to "whitelist" emails from Oxford Abstracts (oxfordabstracts.com) so that they do not get stuck in your SPAM folder!!!

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT

Types of Manuscripts

All submissions are eligible for oral or poster presentation. Submission may be in one of the following formats. PLEASE READ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES ABOVE carefully before you start writing your abstract.

• Short abstract: Maximum 250 words, no subheadings. Literature references (max. of 4) are optional and if used, should be entered into the designated text box. Figures and tables are not allowed. Authors wishing to pursue publication in peer-reviewed journals are advised to use this option to avoid potential conflicts with later publication.

• Extended abstract: Maximum 1000 words including summary, subheadings (optional), figure captions, tables and acknowledgements. Literature references (max. of 10) are mandatory but are excluded from the word count when entered into the designated text box.

The Review Process

All submissions will be reviewed using a blind process using to the 2026 ZWHC Scoring Rubric.

Submissions will be grouped into sessions and assigned to at least 2 session co-chairs who will review them and recommend for acceptance/rejection to the Scientific Program Committee (SPC).

• Abstracts will be reviewed and scored for relevance, scientific quality, available results, and conclusions.

• The abstract should make a meaningful contribution to the scientific program and continuing education for our members and attendees, and should not already be well represented in the literature.

• Submissions of work that has already been published may be accepted but the presentation should not already have been given at another conference.

• Submissions regarding the management of single cases (case studies) should provide substantive and significant clinical, pathological, or research information, such as the use of novel therapeutics or diagnostics.

• Abstracts will be given a low score and recommended for rejection if only an outline is provided or if the abstract states "data will be presented” or "subject will be discussed”.

• Proposals constituting sales pitches for products or services will not be considered.

• The highest-ranking abstracts will be the basis for building sessions around common themes.

By 1 February 2026, authors will receive an e-mail informing them whether their paper has been accepted, whether it has been selected for a poster or for an oral presentation and whether any revisions are required.

Revisions are responsibility of authors and all comments and corrections made by the reviewers must be considered.

Accepted presenters will be expected to provide the final abstract within 2 weeks of receiving the acceptance email. Only abstracts received on time will make it into the final conference program.

We will be having an online poster gallery in addition to the in-person poster sessions. Poster presenters are therefore required to submit a high-resolution pdf of their finished poster in by 3 May 2026.

Conference Registration and Presentation

Contributions, either oral or poster, must be presented by an IN PERSON conference participant and the presenter MUST register by 8 February 2026 for their abstract to be considered. Registration will open on 8 December 2025.

"From the Field"

If you are or will be working in the field during the conference, and the work submitted is related to free-ranging wildlife, this year you will be able to apply, once again, to deliver a “From the Field” presentation. 

“From the Field” presentations provide a platform for professionals working in challenging or remote conditions who face significant barriers to attending the conference in person, and contribute to EAZWV’s mission of improving the health, welfare and conservation of free-ranging wildlife. 

Abstracts will be subjected to the same evaluation criteria as all others. Once selected, the SPC will review your “From the Field” application, according to previously defined criteria and a specific scoring matrix which includes logistical necessity, uniqueness of contribution, and technical feasibility. There will be a limited number of “From the Field” presentations each year (usually no more than 3). 

“From the Field” presentations are delivered live via videocall (10 minutes presentation + 3 minutes Q&A). Please note that in-person presentation will be expected if one of the co-authors is attending the conference in person.

Please explain why you should be considered for a “From the Field” presentation in the designated text box of the submission form. The SPC will contact you regarding your application after the selection process is completed.

For all other submissions, in person attendance and presentation is required and submitters much register for the IN PERSON conference by 8th February. Failure to so will result in  your paper being withdrawn.

Zoo and Wildlife Health Conference Ethics and Welfare Statement

All material to be presented at the Zoo and Wildlife Health Conference, formally or informally, must adhere to high ethical standards concerning animal welfare. Abstracts will be considered for presentation only if the work described:

• Follows international, national and institutional guidelines for the humane treatment of animals and comply with relevant legislation.

• Where it concerns the experimental manipulation of animals, have been approved by the ethics review committee at the institution or practice at which the studies were conducted, when such a committee exists.

• Have been approved by all authors (applies to presentations and publications at the conference).

• For studies using client-owned animals, privacy should be maintained, and the information should be anonymized.

The reviewers of the conference abstracts retain the right to reject manuscripts on the basis of ethical and welfare concerns.

Contact information for questions on the scientific program: submissions@eazwv.org