Cephalopods Urged Into Global Reforms for Research Welfare
An editorial argues that cephalopods (octopuses, cuttlefish, and squid) deserve stronger welfare protections in research due to their sentience and complex brains; despite decades of safeguards for vertebrates and EU rules extending protections to cephalopods, analgesics for these animals are scarce, hindering humane care. The piece calls for global adoption of higher welfare standards, continued development of pain-relief options, and consideration of a UN convention on animal health and protection to ensure ethical, high-quality science.