The use of octopi in animal laboratory research raises interesting opportunities, as well as significant ethical questions. Many national animal ethics standards globally (including Australia) recognise that octopi are sentient, with complex cognitive capacity and require scientific work with them to be submitted for research ethics review by an animal ethics committee.
Discussions about animal welfare in research can tend to evoke strident and forceful opposing positions, as highlighted by this story and the public commentary the display generated. What is needed is calm and open discussion, based on the principles of transparency, respect, empathy and respect.
Depending on your views on animal research and your sympathies for the challenges of animal breeding, housing and handling, this move in Germany might be viewed as something for other jurisdictions to adopt, or a scary impediment to work in this area. It does reflect evolving community views with regards to transparency and accountability in animal-based work.
For those of us in the rest of the world, we might look at this story as an example of how litigious the US is, but it can also be seen as the desperate measures an animal ethics committee sometimes have to take to get their host institution to live up to its responsibilities. Animal welfare, good housing/handling and training aren’t cheap, but they are “the cost” of doing animal work the right way.
About Australian & New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching (ANZCCART) ANZCCART is located in
Introduction The use of animals or animal tissues in laboratory classes is a privilege that brings with it responsibilities. These
Replacement, Reduction and Refinement A UK-based scientific organisation dedicated to helping the research community worldwide to identify, develop and use
If this story and the lawsuit it reports are accurate, this points to a serious undermining of animal housing oversight and monitoring of animal housing facilities in the United States. Any change in monitoring and outsourcing to the private sector is unlikely to instil public confidence.
