Robyn J. Crook: How do animals experience pain?

How do animals experience pain?

Humans know the surprising prick of a needle, the searing pain of a stubbed toe, and the throbbing of a toothache. We can identify many types of pain and have multiple ways of treating it — but what about other species? How do the animals all around us experience pain? Robyn J. Crook examines pain in both vertebrate and invertebrate animals. [Directed by Anton Bogaty, narrated by Julianna Zarzycki]. 

Pain is not just a human experience; animals, too, sense and respond to harm, though their conscious pain may be harder to prove. Chickens and rats will self-medicate with painkillers, while octopuses and hermit crabs make decisions that suggest awareness of suffering. While vertebrates are legally protected from unnecessary pain in many countries, invertebrates like crabs and octopuses often are not, even as evidence grows that some can feel more than simple reflexes. Understanding how animals experience pain challenges ethical choices and urges a deeper responsibility for their welfare.