Overview

• The facility said its 1,000-plus-gallon exhibit isn’t a touch tank and features a tall barrier designed to prevent unsupervised access.
• Aquarium representatives claimed the boy’s mother leaned him over the barrier, allowing him to reach the octopus without staff supervision.
• Britney Taryn called the aquarium’s account false and defamatory as she continues to press for formal safety protocols at interactive exhibits.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest report confirmed the aquarium’s compliance with federal animal welfare regulations.
• PETA urged the aquarium to release the aging octopus to a more suitable environment, highlighting welfare concerns over forced human interactions.