Has the time come? Public confidence, trust, and expectations for the oversight of invertebrates used in scientific research

Four themes emerged to explain participant confidence, centered on: 1) animals, 2) participant, 3) oversight system, and 4) science. Trust in scientists was similar for TV (4.3±0.07) and AV (4.2±0.07), but higher for TV compared to TI (4.1±0.07) and TV and AV compared to AI (4.0±0.06); absence of oversight decreased public trust in scientists. Participants believed invertebrates should receive some level of oversight but at two thirds of that currently afforded to vertebrates.

Four primary themes emerged to explain participant expectation: 1) value of life, 2) animal experience, 3) participant centered, and 4) oversight system centered. We conclude that a gap exists between current and public expectations for the oversight of invertebrates which may threaten the social licence to conduct scientific research on these animals.