Paolo Dalla Villa is an Italian Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, recognized as a specialist in companion animal medicine at the University of Pisa and de facto EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law. In 2020, he joined the WOAH Sub-Regional Representation in Brussels as Technical Officer, and he is in charge to deal with the activities of the WOAH Platform on Animal Welfare for Europe as Technical Officer on Disaster Management and Animal Welfare. From 2012 to 2015, he has been working as Seconded National Expert at the European Commission (DG SANTE) where he mainly dealt with the development and implementation of the EU policies on animal welfare, with reference to international cooperation and the protection of companion animals. As Head of Human-Animal relationship and Animal Welfare Laboratory at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G.Caporale" in Teramo/WOAH Collaborating Centre for Animal Welfare in Europe, he has been responsible for coordinating research projects on animal welfare and providing technical/scientific assistance, training and capacity building to Veterinary Services, at national and international level. From 2016 to 2020, he operated as Head of the Italian Reference Centre for Veterinary Urban Hygiene and Non-Epidemic Emergencies, running the Secretariat of the WOAH Collaborating Center Network on Veterinary Emergencies (EmVetNet).