Who We Are
Crustacean Compassion is an award-winning animal welfare organisation dedicated to the humane treatment of animals like crabs, lobsters & prawns (decapod crustaceans). We engage with legislators and policy makers to strengthen and enforce animal welfare law and policy; we work to persuade and enable companies to sell higher welfare products across their shellfish product ranges; and we seek to educate both the public and policy makers on the science of decapod crustacean sentience and on their humane treatment and care.
Our work is grounded in scientific evidence. We do not campaign against the use of decapod crustaceans as food. We welcome good practice in the food industry and believe that all sentient creatures deserve humane treatment, determined by the needs of their species.
Our history
2016
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2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Inspired by news of live crabs being sold shrink wrapped in a London shop, Crustacean Compassion began as a voluntary organisation.
An open letter calling on the Secretary of State to include decapod crustaceans in animal welfare legislation is signed by over 55 experts
Our public petition to DEFRA is signed by over 40,000 people. We deliver this petition to Secretary of State, Michael Gove, along with a 3ft tall Valentines Day card asking him to “show lobsters some love!”
Crustacean Compassion awarded the RSPCA Campaigner Award
DEFRA commissions the London School of Economics to conduct a review of the evidence of sentience in decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs
Following publication of the LSE report, the government proposes an amendment to the Sentience Bill in the House of Lords, recognising decapods as sentient and passing with cross-party political support
Crustacean Compassion becomes a member of Eurogroup for Animals
The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 completes its passage through Parliament and receives royal assent.
Crustacean Compassion begins a new stream of work to engage and advise the food industry on incorporating decapod crustacean welfare in their policies and management practices.
Crustacean Compassion launches The Snapshot, the world’s first industry benchmark on decapod welfare
We co-host a workshop with London School of Economics to bring together policymakers and researchers, discussing the use of decapod crustaceans in scientific procedures
Our comprehensive new report, Sea-to-Plate: The Welfare Journey of Decapod Crustaceans, is published
Our Partners and Awards
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Crustacean Compassion is grateful to be able to draw upon the legal expertise of the lawyers at the UK Centre for Animal Law.
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We are the proud recipients of a Sheila McKechnie award supported by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, and the RSPCA Campaigner Award 2019.
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The work we're doing is possible thanks to grants from the Centre for Effective Altruism and the Open Philanthropy Project.
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We are part of the Better Deal for Animals movement. BDFA is formed of 50 leading UK animal welfare groups that are campaigning for stronger law that recognises animals as sentient and ensures their protection post-Brexit.
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We are also pleased to be one of the 70 organisations that make up the Eurogroup for Animals. The Eurogroup for Animals unites animal welfare organisations across Europe so that we can make positive changes for animals at an EU level.
Learn about what’s happening in our campaign right now, and what we’ve achieved in the past.
