In recent years, animal pain control has become widely recognized as an essential component of veterinary care. Pain control has been recognized as the 5th vital sign and also included among the 5 liberties to be guaranteed to the animal for its well-being. In addition, much progress has been made concerning owners’ sensitivity towards the suffering of their animals ascertaining that pain control is at the forefront of compassionate care. Hence, adequate pain control must be one of the primary objectives of the veterinary practitioner, aiming to improve the quality of life, the response to therapy and the survival time of animal patients.

The Animal Pain Research Center at the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Perugia conducts, develops and promotes scientific research on the theme of animal pain, pursuing the following goals:

- Promote and coordinate methodological and applicative researches on the recognition and treatment of acute and chronic pain conditions in different animal species, with a view to improving the health and quality of life through better knowledge.

- Promote multidisciplinary training courses, training and seminar activities, conducive to empowering health professionals in the field of algology.

- Encourage the exchange of information and material between researchers in the animal pain field, in the framework of collaborations with other Institutes, in national and international research organizations, and with public and private research laboratories.

- Encourage interdisciplinary discussions on animal pain.