Why Are Octopuses Going to Be the 'Poster Child' for Invertebrate Welfare?

Near and Dear? If animal welfare concepts do not apply to species at a great phylogenetic distance from humans, what concepts might serve as alternatives?

A wide range of animal taxa, including vertebrates and invertebrates, are controlled or kept by humans. They may be used as pets, for recreation, sport and hobbies, as working animals, as producers of animal-derived (food) products or as biomedical models in research. There is a need for clear guidance on the treatment of animals, regardless of their phylogenetic distance from humans. Current animal welfare concepts, which emphasise animal sentience and the ability of animals to experience negative or positive mental states, are limited in scope to a small proportion of the animal kingdom, as the vast majority of species are (currently) thought to lack sentience. We discuss four options for addressing the question of which basic concept(s) could be used to derive guidelines for the treatment of animal species, sentient or non-sentient: (1) alternative concepts tailored to specific groups of species; (2) 'welfare' concepts not presupposing sentience; (3) the precautionary principle; or (4) the concept of animal integrity. Since questions regarding the appropriate treatment of animals, including species with a large phylogenetic distance from humans, have an ethical/moral dimension, we also address who counts morally and how much, and how animals should be treated given their moral status. We suggest that the concept of animal integrity, possibly complemented and extended by the concept of habitat/ecosystem integrity, is suitable for application to all species. However, a current concept of animal welfare should serve as the primary basis for guidance on how to treat species that are sentient and capable of experiencing emotions.

Perspective: Social License as a Lens for Improving Ethical and Welfare Standards in Cephalopod Research

Interest in cephalopods as comparative models in neuroscience, cognition, behavior, and ecology is surging due to recent advances in culture and experimental techniques. Although cephalopods have a long history in research, their use had remained limited due to the challenges of funding work on comparative models, the lack of modern techniques applicable to them, and the small number of labs with the facilities to keep and house large numbers of healthy animals for long periods. Breakthroughs in each of these areas are now creating new interest in cephalopods from researchers who trained and worked in other models, as well as allowing established cephalopod labs to grow and collaborate more widely. This broadening of the field is essential to its long-term health, but also brings with it new and heightened scrutiny from animal rights organizations, federal regulatory agencies, and members of the public. As a community, it is critical that scientists working with cephalopods engage in discussions, studies, and communication that promote high standards for cephalopod welfare. The concept of "social license to operate," more commonly encountered in industry, recreation, and agriculture, provides a useful lens through which to view proactive steps the cephalopod research community may take to ensure a strong future for our field. In this Perspective, I discuss recent progress in cephalopod ethics and welfare studies, and use the conceptual framework of Social License to Operate to propose a forward-looking, public-facing strategy for the parallel development of welfare-focused best practices and scientific breakthroughs.

Behavioral changes in senescent giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) are associated with peripheral neural degeneration and loss of epithelial tissue

Most species of octopus experience extreme physical decline after a single reproductive bout which extends over a period of days, weeks, or months before eventual death. Although outward indicators of senescence are widely recognized, comparatively little is known about physiological and neural changes accompanying terminal decline in octopuses. Here, we measured changes in behavioral response to nociceptive stimuli across the lifespan in giant Pacific octopus (GPO), Enteroctopus dofleini, held in public aquariums in the USA. Post-euthanasia, tissue was collected from arm tips, and neural and epithelial cell degeneration was quantified and compared with biopsies of arm tips from healthy, pre-reproductive GPOs. Behavioral assays showed significant changes both in low threshold mechanosensory responses and nociceptive behavioral responses beginning early in senescence and extending until euthanasia. Histology data showed that while the ratio of apoptotic cells to total cell number stayed constant between healthy and senescent GPOs, overall neural and epithelial cell density was significantly lower in terminally senescent octopuses compared with healthy controls. Our data provide new insight into the time-course and causes of sensory dysfunction in senescent cephalopods and suggest proactive welfare management should begin early in the senescence phase, well before animals enter terminal decline.