The San Antonio Aquarium is defending its giant Pacific octopus after a close encounter left a 6-year-old boy’s arm covered in bruises.
The incident happened on July 14 during a visit that later gained widespread attention when the child’s mother, Britney Taryn, described the moment in a viral TikTok video. “The octopus starts coming out of the tank, and the reason we don’t have pictures or videos of this is because my friend was also freaking out,” she recalled, saying the octopus latched onto her son Leo’s arm and “was not letting go.”
In response, the San Antonio Aquarium issued a statement to PEOPLE, emphasizing its commitment to safety. “At the San Antonio Aquarium, the safety and well-being of our guests, staff, and animals are our top priorities,” a spokesperson said.
The aquarium clarified that the octopus exhibit is not designed as a touch tank. Instead, it features a “1,000+ gallon habitat intentionally designed with a tall barrier to provide safety for both guests and the animal.”
According to the spokesperson, reaching the octopus would require someone to “lean fully over the wall of the enclosure and reach approximately 24 inches down from the top edge.” In this case, they say, the boy’s mother leaned him over the barrier, allowing him to access the tank without staff oversight.
The aquarium described the octopus’s actions as “typical, curious behavior by touching and holding the child’s arm,” and insisted there was no aggression or intent to harm. Staff, they noted, quickly stepped in to assist and ensure the boy was safely removed.
“Our Giant Pacific Octopus is a healthy, well-cared-for animal that thrives in its habitat and does not exhibit harmful behavior toward guests or staff,” the statement read. “Octopuses are highly intelligent and curious creatures, and their interactions with humans are often playful and exploratory. However, as with any animal encounter, there are inherent risks, which is why we have strict protocols in place to ensure safety for all.”
In a new statement to PEOPLE, Taryn said she does not blame the octopus for what happened. “We understand that its behavior is completely natural,” she said. “Our goal is to advocate for better conditions for the animals and to ensure that they are housed in environments that are safe and appropriate.”
However, she strongly disputed the aquarium’s account that she lowered her son into the tank area. “The San Antonio Aquarium’s response is not only false; it is defamatory and appears to be a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the serious issues at hand,” she said.
Taryn also claims no one at the aquarium offered medical attention or requested she sign an incident report. “Several other adults were with me at the time and can attest to this. Because blame was never my intent, I only later sent an email solely to formally document the incident out of concern for the animal and the safety of others, but I received no response,” she explained.
She added that contact with the octopus is usually only possible by lifting a child over the glass—a practice she says she’s done before at the same tank under staff instruction. “This tank is never staffed, and the public is often left to interact with the animals unsupervised. The only signage provides instructions for a feeding encounter,” Taryn stated.
Following the incident, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) released a statement on August 1 calling for the octopus’s release.
“This slimy facility’s exploitative encounters are a recipe for disaster, as injuries abound when timid animals such as octopuses are denied everything natural and important to them and subjected to a barrage of grabbing hands,” the statement read.
PETA concluded by urging the aquarium to “stop forcing wild animals to interact with humans and release this octopus to her natural habitat, if possible, or an accredited facility where she can finally live in peace.”
