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Animals like crabs, lobsters and prawns (decapod crustaceans) endure unimaginable suffering within the food industry. From being shipped live through the post, enduring cramped conditions in tanks, and being boiled alive, their plight is often overlooked.
Despite being legally recognised as sentient animals in the UK, since the passage of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, they receive little to no protection in other UK legislation.
We refuse to turn a blind eye. Our mission is clear: to advocate for the legal protection and compassionate treatment of these vulnerable, yet remarkable creatures. Join us and take action on our current campaigns today!
Ban the Live Sales of Decapod Crustaceans
We have launched a new campaign to ban the cruel trade of live decapods as food. Every day in the UK animals like crabs, lobsters, prawns and crayfish are sold alive to the untrained public to be killed and cooked at home. This causes extreme pain and suffering to these fragile, sentient animals.
In shops, markets and fishmongers around the UK they are closely packed together, with their claws tightly banded, out of water or often on ice which can cause suffocation, injury and even death. Live crabs have even been found for sale packaged and bound tightly in shrink-wrapped plastic.
Once purchased, they may be taken to the consumer's home in just a plastic bag, with no protection for their delicate limbs, where they may be handled, stored, and slaughtered through inappropriate - and painful - means. They could be carved up into pieces while fully conscious. Or boiled alive. It is estimated that a brown crab boiled alive may remain conscious for up to three minutes, something which would be considered completely unacceptable in a vertebrate animal like a pig or chicken.
Crustacean Compassion believes that these sentient animals deserve more, and need your help to end this inhumane treatment crustaceans experience in the UK.
We wouldn’t expect people to be able to buy any other live animal to kill at home and we are asking for equal protection for decapods.
Together let’s Demand More for Decapods and end this inhumane treatment!
Decapods likes crabs, lobsters and prawns experience pain, joy and suffering like other sentient animals. But they are not protected by UK legislation like other sentient animals.
We don't think this is right! They should not be sold alive to be inhumanely killed by untrained members of the public.
Help us prevent this unacceptable suffering and sign our petition calling for an end to the live sale of decapod crustaceans!
Close the loophole
Protect crabs and lobsters from pain and include them in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (England and Wales)
Animals like crabs, lobsters, prawns and crayfish (decapod crustaceans) face extreme pain and suffering every day. They are often torn apart and boiled alive. It is estimated that a brown crab boiled alive may remain conscious for up to three minutes, something which would be considered completely unacceptable in a vertebrate animal like a pig or chicken. Live crabs have even been found for sale packaged and bound tightly in plastic.
Despite this, and despite legal recognition and scientific evidence that they can feel pain, they are not included in the Animal Welfare Act.
The Animal Welfare Act of 2006 (England and Wales) enforces a duty of care to ‘protected animals’ (animals under human control). Those responsible must take steps to PREVENT unnecessary suffering or they are liable to prosecution. It means that people or organisations who neglect or abuse 'protected' animals can be prosecuted. Farmed animals, fish and reptiles are all protected under the Act. However, invertebrates such as crabs and lobsters are not.
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 states that invertebrates can be legally protected if there is scientific evidence of their ability to feel pain. Crustacean Compassion believes that the scientific evidence is now so strong that there is no longer any excuse to delay the inclusion of decapod crustaceans under the Act.
It's time to Close the Loophole and include decapods in the Animal Welfare Act.
Your donation can help protect crabs, lobsters, shrimp and other decapod crustaceans from unnecessary suffering.
We’ll keep you up to date with the latest campaign news, appeals and ways you can take action to protect decapods.
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