Lawrence is Chief Operating Officer at the Wildheart Trust, a charity set up to rescue animals from horrendous backgrounds, providing them with a space to rehabilitate at the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight. The role involves conservation work both with native species and overseas, rescue and rehabilitation and campaigning work to champion animal welfare, a core reason to why Lawrence started to work in this amazing field.Lawrence has over 20 years of working in zoos around the UK with a diverse range of species from primates to Elephants. This has led to a wealth of knowledge in animal welfare, husbandry, behaviour, enrichment, facility design and zoological project management. Following a degree in Zoology and working in a local zoo near his hometown of Kendal, Lawrence spent time in Africa training as a field guide before returning to the UK to follow a career with animals.For 6 years Lawrence held the post of chair of BIAZA Elephant Sub Group to help steer best practice across UK zoological institutions. This led to a position on the DEFRA appointed Elephant Welfare Group, set up to assess welfare standards of the UK population and drive forward advances in this field. Lawrence then proceeded to hold the position of Vice Chair of BIAZAs Mammal working group.