Great Britain
According to new studies, crabs, octopuses and crabs are sentient beings – and would be included in the Animal Welfare Act
According to the researchers, invertebrates like octopuses should also be able to feel emotions like pain.
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Can lobsters, octopuses, and crabs really have feelings? British scientists say yes – and Britain is about to change its laws.
The British government also wants to reform animal welfare laws after Brexit. This includes a bill that should now recognize that shellfish like lobsters, octopuses and crabs are sentient beings.
Accordingly, cephalopods (including squid and octopuses) and decapods (including lobsters, crabs and shrimp) should be added to the list of species legally recognized as experiencing feelings such as pain. A committee to ensure that the government takes animal sensitivity into account in its policies.
Study-based bill
Researchers evaluated more than 300 studies examining neural or behavioral indicators in invertebrate species, Jonathan Birch, a professor at the London School of Economics, told NBC News. The scientist is one of the principals responsible for the “Foundations of Animal Consciousness” project. Basics of animal consciousness). The studies examined, among other things, whether the animals had pain receptors, whether they were able to learn and how they reacted to pain-relieving medications.
“In all cases, the evidence seems to speak in favor of sensation,” Birch said. “It’s very strong with octopuses. With prawns […] “We are less confident,” the researcher says, and adds that his colleagues investigate a range of emotions in animals, including joy, pleasure, and comfort. But pain and suffering are of particular importance in animal welfare laws.
No economic consequences
Changes to animal welfare law will have no immediate impact on restaurants or commercial fisheries, according to a government news release cited by NBC News. But they can help shape animal welfare policy in the future.
those: NBC News
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