Source record
Defining and assessing animal pain
Lynne Sneddon, Robert Elwood, Shelley Adamo, Matthew Leach (2014). Animal Behaviour.
Key findings
- Proposes criteria for assessing pain across species; mammals, birds and fish meet most criteria for pain experience.
Record
- Source type
- Peer Reviewed Study
- Study type
- Review
- Topics
- Sentience & cognition
- Geography
- Not applicable
- Funding & conflicts
- Not recorded.
- Source quality
- Moderate evidence
Limitations
- Pain in animals is inferred from behaviour and physiology; subjective experience cannot be measured directly.
Claims this source supports
AnimalsStrong evidence
There is broad scientific agreement that mammals, birds and fish can experience pain, and growing evidence that some invertebrates such as decapod crustaceans can too.
The animals we farm can feel pain. For fish the evidence is strong; for crabs and lobsters it is now considered substantial.
Cite this record
Defining and assessing animal pain. The Balance of Health. https://thebalanceofhealth.com/sources/sneddon-2014-defining-and-assessing-animal-pain