Help Stop the World’s First Octopus Farm

Gran Canaria is set to open the world’s first intensive octopus farm, which would see hundreds of thousands of these hyperintelligent beings commercially reared in cramped tanks every year before being slaughtered for food – even though scientists have warned that the animals will endure intense and prolonged suffering. Help stop these plans!

Octopus.

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Intelligent, Complex, and Fascinating Animals

Octopuses are sentient beings who feel joy and excitement, but also pain and fear. They are extremely intelligent and have been known to use seashells for protection, steal food from traps set by fishers, escape from aquariums, and even decorate their homes. They communicate with one another through complex colour changes and flashes that humans still don’t understand. Keeping them on farms will lead to unnatural aggression, cannibalism, injury, and death as they fight and struggle to escape.

Octopus Welfare? Think Again

Currently, there’s no legislation in Spain that protects octopus welfare, leaving them vulnerable to unscrupulous profiteers who could keep them in any conditions and inflict unspeakable pain and suffering completely unchallenged.

Scientists have concluded that octopuses are sentient beings and that it is impossible to farm them in a way that doesn’t compromise their welfare. Confining these fascinating individuals – or any animal – to a barren tank is cruel.

At the end of their miserable lives, the octopuses will be slaughtered – most likely while fully conscious – experiencing horrific terror and pain as their brains are cut into or their heads are clubbed in.

Environmental Disaster

Farming octopuses is as unsustainable as it is inhumane. It would put yet more pressure on the ocean, as wild marine life would have to be caught to feed them, further depleting fish populations and disrupting the ecosystem.

Help Stop These Plans

Take action by urging the minister for agriculture, livestock, and fisheries of the Canary Islands to stop these plans:

Personalising your e-mail is best, but here’s a template you can use or amend as you wish.

View Message +

Alicia

Vanoostende Simili

Government of Gran Canaria

Dear {contact_data~firstName} {contact_data~lastName}:

I was shocked to learn that the world’s first octopus farm is set to open in Gran Canaria. These intelligent beings must never be commercially reared for food.

Octopuses are extremely intelligent and have been known to use seashells as protection, steal food from traps set by fishers, and even decorate their homes. Confining these wonderful animals to a tank with no cognitive stimulation is deeply cruel. A team of experts concluded that it would be impossible to farm them in a way that does not compromise their welfare.

Farming octopuses would also be unsustainable, putting yet more pressure on the oceans as wild marine life would have to be caught in order to feed them.

As the minister of agriculture, livestock, and fisheries in the Canary Islands, I urge you to take action and stop the plans for farming these extraordinary thinking, feeling beings.

Sincerely,

{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}
{user_data~Email Address}

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