A lobster named Lucky, who was caught off the coast of Maine last November, has become the latest social media sensation thanks to his bright cotton-candy-colored shell.
The nearly albino lobster was handed over to the Huntsman Marine Science Center in New Brunswick. And while we wish Lucky had been released back into the wild, at least he was spared the cruel fate of millions of other lobsters.
You see, many people think lobsters don’t feel pain. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. And sadly, these poor animals pay the price for this misguided thinking. So to debunk the myth that crustaceans don’t feel pain, here are some facts.
A 2013 study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology reveals that European shore crabs experience pain. Queen’s University Belfast professor Bob Elwood, who led the study, notes that the crabs’ response to adverse stimuli “fits all the criteria of pain.
In a recent interview with the CBC, Professor Elwood said:
We can’t prove pain in
any animal species. You can only do studies and if they’re consistent with the
idea of pain, you begin to think perhaps we should give them the benefit of the
doubt. It’s what we call the precautionary principle and [it] gives them some
protection in case they do feel pain.
In previous studies, the researchers found that hermit crabs and prawns exhibited similar pain-avoidance behaviors indicative of sentience and feeling. They now believe that all decapod crustaceans, a group that includes lobsters and crayfish, feel pain. This has prompted Professor Elwood to seriously question the absence of laws protecting their welfare.
To make matters worse, in the United States these animals are denied even the most basic legal protections. Not a single federal animal welfare law protects crustaceans or fish. As a result, the seafood industry subjects countless animals to lives of unimaginable pain and slow, cruel deaths.
Like lobsters, crabs, and crayfish, other marine animals feel pain. In fact, fish are similar to dogs and cats in their experience of pain and pleasure.
In 2011 Mercy For Animals conducted an undercover investigation at a fish slaughter facility and exposed fish being skinned alive. They thrashed and fought to escape the workers’ knives. As the fish gasped for oxygen, workers ripped off their skin with pliers.
Sounds awful, right? See for yourself.
Thankfully, you have the power to stop the needless suffering of these sensitive animals. By choosing a compassionate vegan diet, you can ensure that lobsters, crabs, fish, and other animals are spared this senseless cruelty.
So what are you waiting for? Check out all the amazing vegan versions of seafood, such as Gardein’s fishless filets and crabless cakes. And click here for compassionate sea-inspired recipes.
Photo Credit: Robinson Russell
