Cephalopods and decapod crustaceans are increasingly used in neuroscience research, with their formally recognized sentience requiring updated welfare protections in laboratory settings.
The regulatory recognition of cephalopod and crustacean sentience creates new welfare obligations for laboratory settings. Octopuses in bare laboratory tanks experience environmental deprivation of animals with high cognitive demands. Crustaceans used in research without appropriate analgesia may experience pain during procedures. Developing housing standards, enrichment protocols, and anesthetic methods appropriate to these species is an active welfare research priority.