Validated pain scoring systems for laboratory animals allow researchers to detect and treat pain more effectively, reducing suffering in research settings.
Pain in laboratory animals has historically been underrecognized and undertreated, partly because animals mask signs of weakness as a survival instinct. Validated grimace scales revealed that many research procedures cause more pain than previously appreciated. Systematic use of these tools means animals receive appropriate pain relief earlier, reducing unnecessary suffering. Integrating pain scoring into standard laboratory protocols is one of the most immediately actionable improvements available to research institutions committed to animal welfare.