Animals are not objects, they are living beings. Science now confirms what many of us have long known: animals feel joy, curiosity, fear, and pain. From bees to octopuses, horseshoe crabs to badgers, the evidence for animal sentience is growing fast. Yet our laws and everyday choices often lag behind the science.

This post explores what animal sentience means, how scientists test it, what laws say, and why acting with compassion matters.

What is a Sentient Being?

“Sentient” means able to feel. It’s the capacity to experience comfort or discomfort, pleasure or pain. This simple idea has huge consequences for how we treat animals.

How Do Scientists Test Sentience?

Because animals can’t tell us how they feel, researchers look for behavioural clues. Here are key examples:

  • Octopuses and pain – Octopuses avoid places where they were hurt and prefer those where they felt relief. They even stop grooming wounds when given a local anaesthetic.

  • Bees and optimism – After a drop of sugar, bees act more “optimistically,” approaching uncertain cues as if expecting reward. This shows a positive internal state.

  • Ants and mood – Black garden ants sometimes make optimistic choices in scent tests, suggesting emotion-like states.

  • Worms and pain avoidance – Roundworms and flatworms withdraw from noxious heat or irritants, and their behaviour changes when given pain-relief drugs.

  • Policy framework – A UK government review found strong evidence of sentience in octopuses and crabs, influencing the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act.

Together, these results point to more than reflexes. They suggest animals experience states we would recognise as feelings.

The Law Is Changing — Slowly

  • UK: Cephalopods (octopuses, squid) and decapods (crabs, lobsters) are legally recognised as sentient.

  • EU: The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Article 13) recognises animals as sentient, though enforcement is uneven.

  • Mexico City (2025): Pets are now recognised in law as sentient beings, changing how custody and care are decided.

Why It Matters: Real-World Issues

Lobsters – There’s no UK-wide ban on boiling lobsters alive. Best practice is electrical stunning before killing, but it isn’t mandatory.

Octopus Farming – Octopus meat is considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, and global demand is rising, especially in Asia, Southern Europe, and the US. Wild catches are already at or near their limits, so companies are turning to intensive farming. Octopuses are solitary, highly intelligent, and naturally roam wide areas. Keeping them in crowded tanks can lead to stress, aggression, and cannibalism. Farming them requires feeding lots of other fish to produce the protein-rich diets they need  making it environmentally costly. Scientists and animal welfare groups argue that farming such a complex animal for food is both cruel and unsustainable.

Horseshoe Crabs – Their blue blood has kept medicines safe for decades, but harvesting harms both crabs and shorebirds like the red knot. Humane alternatives (recombinant Factor C) exist and should replace animal use.

Fox Hunting – Still happening under “trail hunting” loopholes despite legal bans. Exhaustion and accidental kills undermine the law.

Badger Culling – Government pilots showed many badgers suffered slow deaths. Experts argue for vaccination and better cattle testing instead.

Everyday Impact: Do Worms, Ants and Bees Feel?

  • Worms detect and avoid harmful stimuli in complex ways, but whether they feel pain like us is still debated. If you cut an earthworm in half, only the head end (the part with the clitellum — the thickened band near the front) has a chance of surviving. Even then, survival is rare and often the worm dies. The tail end does not grow a new head. Whether they feel pain like we do is still being researched, but many scientists recommend treating them as if they might.

  • Ants definitely have nociceptors which are nerve-like systems that detect harmful heat, cold, or chemicals. But Nociception alone doesn’t prove pain. You can have reflexes without feelings (like touching a hot stove).

  • Bees consistently show signs of optimism, reward-seeking, and protective behaviours — making them the strongest invertebrate case for sentience so far.

Many scientists recommend the precautionary principle: act as though these creatures might feel pain.

Kindness at Home: Humane Bug Prevention

You don’t need to kill insects to keep them out of your home. Small changes make your space less attractive to pests while keeping them safe outside.

Seal the gaps

  • Block cracks around doors, windows, pipes and vents. Add door sweeps or fly screens.

  • This stops ants, spiders, flies, and moths from slipping in unnoticed.

Keep food areas spotless

  • Wipe up crumbs and spills quickly. Rinse bottles, jars, and recycling before putting them out. Store dry food in airtight containers.

  • Ants and cockroaches are particularly drawn to leftover sugars and grease.

Fix damp and leaks

  • Many insects — especially silverfish, woodlice, and cockroaches — thrive in moist conditions. Repair dripping taps, ventilate bathrooms, and dry out damp spots.

Herbal and natural deterrents

  • Lavender, cedar, and bay leaves help deter clothing and pantry moths. Tuck sachets in drawers or cupboards, refreshing every month.

  • Citrus peel (lemon, orange) rubbed on window frames can discourage spiders and ants.

  • Peppermint and eucalyptus sprays (diluted with water and a little mild soap) repel spiders, ants, and flies.

  • Clove and cinnamon scents are disliked by ants and moths — sprinkle ground spice or place whole cloves near entry points.

Spiders and conkers

  • Traditional wisdom says halved horse chestnuts (conkers) placed on window sills or in corners can deter spiders. While scientific evidence is mixed, many households swear by it, and it’s harmless to try.

  • Tossing or “chucking” a spider roughly can injure it (they’re fragile, especially legs and abdomen).

  • A gentle release, using the cup-and-card method and placing it near a sheltered spot (like under a bush, by a wall, or in a shed/garage) gives it the best chance.

Tidy habitats

  • Shake out door mats, clear clutter near entryways, and keep firewood or dense plant pots a little further from doors.

  • This reduces hiding spots for ants, beetles, and spiders.

Lighting tips

  • Bright lights at night attract moths, flies, and mosquitoes. Use warmer-toned bulbs by doors or switch off unneeded lights.

Where Law Still Falls Short

  • Live boiling of lobsters and crabs – still legal in the UK.

  • Fox hunting loopholes – allow cruelty under disguise.

  • Badger culling – continues despite humane and scientific concerns.

  • Insect sentience ignored – even as insect farming grows.

  • Octopus farming proposals – still on the table.

  • Wildlife snares – legal in some areas despite unnecessary suffering.

Each of these has humane, practical alternatives.

A Simple Test for Our Choices

We already:

  • Recognise sentience in law.

  • Have strong scientific evidence.

  • Possess humane alternatives.

So the moral choice is clear: act as if all animals feel. The cost of kindness is small. The cost of being wrong is suffering.

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For children who love animals:

At Rockford’s Rock Opera, we believe nature’s resilience can inspire both science and imagination. Our story Lost on Infinity explores extinction, biomimicry, and the secrets of the natural world through an unforgettable musical adventure.

Explore our world today:

Get the Lost on Infinity illustrated book with free musical audiobook – a totally immersive experience.

Listen to the first part of the Lost on Infinity audiobook and watch the animated adventure free on Apple App Store and Google Play.

Download our FREE lesson plans and slides about Extinction and Biomimicry. We also have a selection of classroom activities on our website.

For even more exploration of the natural world, tune in to our Stories, Science & Secrets podcast for kids.  Join Matthew, Elaine, Steve Punt and special guests, as we delve into the fascinating world of biomimicry and the inspiring ways science learns from nature’s genius.

The coconut reminds us: resilience is a natural design. Biomimicry (learning from nature) is a fascinating classroom topic. You can read more about biomimicry and see all the discoveries we have documented in our Creatures’ Secrets Database.