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California is on the brink of becoming the second state to ban octopus farming, but there's one final step—we need Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign the bill into law!

After successfully passing through both the Assembly and Senate, this critical legislation is now on the governor's desk. It's our last chance to speak up for these remarkable animals and protect them from ever having to experience the inhumane conditions of factory farming in California. Urge Gov. Newsom to sign AB 3162 into law!

This monumental bill will stop octopus farming in California before it even has a chance to start. Other than the obvious reason that no animal should be subjected to the cruelties of factory farming for human consumption, there are a multitude of reasons why octopuses in particular should not be farmed.

Octopuses are incredibly intelligent and sentient beings who thrive on curiosity and stimulation. In captivity, they suffer immensely from the lack of mental engagement. These fascinating creatures can solve complex puzzles, escape enclosures, and even playfully throw objects at one another! Their ability to camouflage by manipulating their skin cells shows an acute awareness of their surroundings.

Beyond the direct harm to octopuses, octopus farming threatens the environment and human health. Octopuses carry over 20 pathologies, including vibrio cholerae, a bacteria that causes cholera in humans. In addition, farming octopuses contributes to environmental pollution through nitrogen and phosphorus runoff, which can devastate wild fish populations and biodiversity. Octopuses are also carnivores, making them difficult to feed and increasing the number of lives that would be lost in a farming endeavor. This would add further strain on the world's oceans' already depleted fish populations.

Now is the time to take action. Let's urge Gov. Newsom to sign this bill and ensure that California leads the way in protecting octopuses, safeguarding our environment, and setting an example for other states to follow.

Letter to Decision Maker(s) for reference:

Subject: It’s Time To Ban Octopus Farming In California

I am writing to you as a resident of California asking that you please sign the Oppose Cruelty to Octopuses (OCTO) Act (AB 3162) into law. Octopus farming would not only be harmful to individual octopuses, but would be detrimental to human health and the environment as well.

Octopuses are intelligent and curious sentient beings who would suffer from a lack of stimulation in a large-scale farm setting. They are known to be able to solve complex puzzles, and stories of enclosure escapes at zoos and research facilities abound. Octopuses even throw things at one another, as recent scientific observations have revealed. Their ability to disguise themselves and manipulate their cells to perfectly match their backgrounds shows an acute awareness of their surroundings.

There are also logistical reasons not to farm octopuses. Octopuses are territorial and solitary animals who would need to be kept in individual tanks. They are carnivores, making them difficult to feed. Most of the fish suitable for octopuses to eat are also consumed by humans, so farming octopuses would further contribute to unsustainable pressures on wild fish populations. 

There are health risks associated with farming octopuses as well. These animals are known to carry over 20 different pathologies, including vibrio cholerae which causes cholera in humans. At a time when the world is still recovering from COVID-19 and dealing with diseases like avian influenza, octopus farming would greatly increase the risk of spreading more zoonotic diseases among the human population. 

With a growing demand for a sustainable food system, it makes no sense to add an additional farmed animal into the mix. Banning octopus farming in California before it has a chance to start will save countless octopus lives and send a vital message to the country that industrial-scale agriculture is falling out of favor. 

Thank you for your time and careful consideration of this important issue.

Sincerely,

Signed

Victory! This alert made a difference for animals!