Spiders and arachnids occupy a complex place in human culture, facing persecution disproportionate to their actual risk. Evidence is emerging that some arachnids may have more complex internal lives than previously assumed.
The welfare status of spiders is genuinely uncertain, but jumping spider behavior research suggests they may have more complex inner lives than most people assume. The cultural normalization of spider killing, often based on unfounded fear, means billions of beneficial animals are killed unnecessarily each year. The welfare case for spiders is strengthened by the precautionary principle and by the ecological importance of spiders as predators that provide irreplaceable services.