Subject: Pain

Decapod Crustaceans in Animal Welfare Law: Fragmentation, Gaps, and Emerging Models in Europe and Oceania

Fruscella L, Sicuso DA, Vitale D, Passantino A.

Published in 2026

Scientific review, highlighting the misalignment between current scientific evidence on the vulnerability of decapod crustaceans and the limited legal protection they receive, advocating for a harmonized regulatory framework based on the science.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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Motivational factors and financial incentives to mitigate tail biting in pig production in Finland

Väre M, Koskikallio H, Heinonen M, Tuominen-Brinkas M, Munsterhjelm C, Valros A, and Niemi JK

Published in 2026

Survey of Finnish pig farmers on measures intended to reduce tail-biting. With economic losses of up to approximately €32 per pig affected by tail-biting, the study shows that farmers are motivated in particular by financial incentives but also by a desire to improve animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

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Decapod Crustaceans in Animal Welfare Law: Fragmentation, Gaps, and Emerging Models in Europe and Oceania

Lorenzo Fruscella, Diego Antonio Sicuso, Daria Vitale, Annamaria Passantino

Published in 2026

Article highlighting the gap between scientific evidence on the sentience of decapod crustaceans and the limited legal protections they enjoy. The authors advocate for harmonized regulations based on scientific knowledge.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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Conséquences des procédures douloureuses et stressantes chez les bovins

EURCAW Ruminants & Equines

Published in 2026

Fact sheet providing a detailed examination of painful and stressful procedures commonly performed on cattle (identification marking, dehorning or disbudding, tail docking, castration, and teat removal). It describes the biological context, legal requirements, and key points to check during inspections.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Bovines

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Electrophysiologic evidence of loss of consciousness in cattle during slaughter with and without stunning: a systematic review and methodological overview

Haut SR, Parmentier T, Fisher RS, and Khalil NM

Published in 2026

A systematic review based on electrophysiological data concluded that in cattle slaughtered without stunning, loss of consciousness generally occurs rapidly, between approximately 4 and 13 seconds after the incision.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

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Comparing the performance of deep learning video-based models and trained veterinarians in cattle pain assessment

Feighelstein M, Tomacheuski RM, Elias G, Shashoua N, van der Linden D, Luna SPL, Zamansky A

Published in 2026

Study showing that artificial intelligence models can recognize pain in cattle with an accuracy comparable to that of experienced veterinarians analysing video footage.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

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Flexible self-protection as evidence of pain-like states in house crickets

Manzi, O., Lynch, K. E., Allman, D. M., Latty, T., White, T. E.

Published in 2026

A scientific article examining the behavioral responses of the house cricket when exposed to a noxious stimulus (a burn on the antenna), a non-painful stimulus (tactile contact on the antenna), or no stimulus at all, under conditions of high or low stress. Grooming behavior was more frequent and lasted longer in response to the painful stimulus than under the other conditions. These results indicate flexible and targeted self-protection, supporting the existence of pain states in Orthoptera.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Invertebrates

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The pain echo chamber: how barren environments amplify pain in captive animals

Schuck-Paim C, Alonso WJ, Hartcher K, Chiang C, Pereira PA, Veit W, Mendl M, Nicol CJ, and Lecorps B

Published in 2026

Article demonstrating that poor and cramped housing conditions can exacerbate pain and delay healing in animals. These findings underscore the importance of taking into account the environment created by an animal's housing when assessing and managing animal welfare.

Animal categories: All animals

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Consensus Report from the Havemeyer Working Group Meetings on Equine Pain Assessment

Hopster, K., Spadavecchia, C., Lindegaard, C., Dalla Costa, E., de Grauw, J., Gudden, D., Andersen, P.H., McDonnell, S., van Dierendonck, M., and van Loon, T.

Published in 2026

Report highlighting the complexity of pain assessment for horses and the lack of a single suitable tool. The authors recommend that use of the Equine Pain Scale should be standardized and that training and clinical integration should be carried out to improve welfare.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Equines

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The use of Diathermic Syncope® for stunning cattle – EFSA Opinion

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW), Søren Saxmose Nielsen, Julio Alvarez, Anette Boklund, Sabine Dippel, Fernanda Dorea, Jordi Figuerola, Mette S. Herskin, Miguel Angel Miranda Chueca, Eleonora Nannoni, Romolo Nonno, Anja B. Riber, Karl Stahl, Jan Arend Stegeman, Hans-Hermann Thulke, Frank Tuyttens, Virginie Michel, Christoph Winckler, Mohan Raj, Antonio Velarde, Alexei Vyssotski, Yves Van der Stede, Aikaterini Manakidou

Published in 2026

New EFSA opinion concluding that the Diathermic Syncope® (DTS) method for stunning cattle does not guarantee a level of welfare equivalent to that of methods that are currently permitted.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Bovines

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