Jennifer Mather (University of Lethbridge)
Recent research suggests that animals only distantly related to us, such as octopuses, might have sentience. Given that it is difficult to understand their mental states, how do we use criteria for such states as pain and suffering and situations like enrichment and expression of normal behavior to ensure the welfare of animals we know little about and can assume even less? The life history of octopuses is explored to see how criteria for welfare might be used to determine how invertebrates with consciousness might be ensured the best lives possible.
