RECOGNISING PAIN IN ANIMALS: BEHAVIOUR AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

Being able to recognise if animals are in pain is essential if we want to treat or prevent pain. Since animals can’t tell us directly if they are in pain, we need to develop other means of assessing pain.

Animal welfare scientists have developed means of assessing pain by recognising alteration in animal behaviour, and by looking at changes in their facial expressions. These assessment techniques have been widely used to provide effective pain relief in pet animals, farm animals and laboratory animals. They have also been used to assess the relative benefits of different ways of carrying out procedures such as tail docking lambs, or de-horning cattle.