Ban Boiling Alive
It's 2025 - time to ban boiling alive!
Every day, millions of crabs, lobsters and prawns endure unimaginable suffering, including one of the excruciating forms of death: being boiled alive. These intelligent and sentient creatures are tossed into scalding water, struggling as they experience intense pain for up to 3 minutes before they die. No animal deserves that.
This is an outdated, unnecessary practice, that we must end
Together, let's make 2025 the year to ban this barbaric practice
and save crustaceans from horrific pain and suffering
Millions of crabs, lobsters, and prawns suffer unimaginable pain when boiled alive. This outdated and cruel practice has no justification and must end.
Thank you to the over 2,600 of you who took action to demand the previous Secretary of State Steve Reed to ban boiling alive. Your collective voice has put pressure on Defra to change legislation, and we are not stopping here!
Newly appointed Secretary of State Emma Reynolds still needs to hear from you and you can do so by sending a postcard to her, to ban this horrific practice. Over 570 of you have already sent one, will you add to the mass and send one for decapod crustaceans?
Together, we can end this suffering!
Take Action
Celebrity support
We are honoured to have so many strong and influential voices standing with us to end the barbaric practice of boiling lobsters alive. From TV, animal welfare, academics, scientists and journalists - the support spans far and wide and with their collective voice we hope to finally call to Defra, to make 2025 the year to ban boiling alive.
Read their inspiring messages of support below.
 "Some things in life are not easy to change, but boiling animals alive so we can eat them? C'mon, that's an easy one, just stop doing it! It's unnecessary, unethical and it's time to have legislation to push that sort of cruel practice into the past!" Michaela Strachan -TV Presenter and animal welfare advocate |  “It’s time to end boiling crustaceans alive. Our grandkids will look back in horror to think of us boiling billions of these sensitive animals alive every year. In an era that recognises their capacity to feel pain, this practice is not just outdated, it’s ethically indefensible.” Dil Peeling - Campaigner and sustainable food expert |  "Boiling sentient beings alive has absolutely no place in civilised society. It's an outrageously cruel practice which needs to end immediately. What are we waiting for?" Wendy Turner-Webster - journalist, presenter, animal welfare advocate and Crustacean Compassion ambassador |
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 "Boiling conscious crabs and lobsters alive is a form of cruelty that would be unthinkable if inflicted on mammals. We now know beyond doubt that these animals are sentient and capable of experiencing pain. Yet this archaic practice continues in kitchens across the country. Ending it is not just a moral imperative - it’s long overdue." Prof Andrew Knight - Veterinary Professor of Animal Welfare |  “Recognising crabs, lobsters, and other decapod crustaceans as sentient beings was a huge step forward for animal welfare. These animals are capable of feeling pain, and yet, practices like boiling them alive have continued unchecked. It’s our moral responsibility to act on the science and protect them from unnecessary suffering. I fully support efforts to ban this cruel practice and ensure that the welfare of all sentient animals is respected and valued.” Marc Bekoff - Ph.D. and Author |
Comments
Supporters from across the world have taken action to support decapod crustacean welfare, either through generous donations, signing petitions, sharing social media posts or sending messages of support. Take a look through these inspiring messages from incredible people who are standing together to call for the ban on boiling alive.
ALL ANIMALS feel pain, treat them with respect, BAN BOILING ALIVE
Helen, Islington
I strongly think boiling alive these creatures is sick and cruel and should be illegal
Steve, West Midlands
Switzerland has banned the boiling alive of crustaceans. We too should be humble enough to admit our treatment of sentient beings is cruel and out-dated and deserves more humanity.
Didier, France
Boiling ALIVE...is there anything else to say? It's medieval
Emma, Eastbury
All living creatures should be given the same protection from inhuman acts as boiling alive
Christine, Stoford
I was terrified as a child to watch boiling alive lobsters trying to escape saucepan. Horrible Destiny. This must stop
Tyana, South Wales
Boiling alive is unacceptable as a means of killing an animal
Mark, Staffordshire
No living creature should suffer just so we can eat it boiling alive is a horrific death
Deborah, Liverpool
Related content
Be a part of animal welfare history and help protect these fascinating but vulnerable animals.
Learn about what’s happening in our campaign right now, and what we’ve achieved in the past.
Any donations, big or small make a huge difference in allowing us to continue to protect crustaceans.