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To: The Government of the United Kingdom

Give Legal Protection against Cruelty to Crustaceans

10/04/22 VICTORY!

THE ANIMAL WELFARE (SENTIENCE) BILL HAS NOW BEEN PASSED BY PARLIAMENT. THEREFORE, THE AMENDMENT ASKING THAT DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS AND CEPHALOPODS SHOULD BE RECOGNISED AS BEING SENTIENT HAS BECOME LAW!

Thank you for all your support over the years. Your voices have made a substantial difference during this long struggle. Let us hope this is a step towards a kinder Britain. This will not only be better for animals but also for humans as well. After all, kindness is its own reward, something substantiated not least by modern psychology.

However, we cannot rest on our laurels. Although this is a major step forward, it will be necessary to change the rules and regulations controlling how these animals are treated. This should now be much easier. We must also change how other invertebrates are treated like, for example, bivalves such as scallops, oysters and mussels. Millions of scallops, for instance, are caught by UK vessels each year. So, we may be asking for your support again sometime in the future.

Still, none of this should take away from this major step forward in UK law

With kind regards, as always,

Peter (The Shellfish Network)

To extend Animal Welfare Legislation to Protect Lobsters, Crabs and other Crustaceans

Why is this important?

Although the UK Animal Welfare Act 2006 goes some way towards protecting vertebrates from cruelty, it does not protect non-vertebrates like lobsters and crabs. These animals have sophisticated nervous systems with many similarities to those of humans. At present, lobsters and crabs are often killed by being boiled alive or by being cut up alive. They therefore suffer dreadful pain. While being boiled alive, lobsters and crabs frantically thrash around, tear at their own bodies with their claws and throw off their limbs.
One mark of a civilized society is how it treats the animals under its control. The way lobsters, crabs and other non-vertebrates are treated in Britain and elsewhere puts us all to shame. Please sign this petition to extend the protections of the Act to these animals and stop this cruelty now. Please let others know about this petition.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://shellfishnetwork.weebly.com
Twitter: @animalreform
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Updates

2022-04-09 15:42:21 +0100

Petition is successful with 1,035 signatures

2018-02-16 10:57:19 +0000

There is some wonderful news concerning the campaign. You may remember that Sue Hayman (the shadow Defra minister), following discussions with Anneliese Dodds MP and others, was looking into extending legal protection to decapod crustaceans and cephalopods. Well, the Labour Party has just published its Animal Welfare Plan. It has followed the Green Party in promising to legislate to protect decapod crustaceans and cephalopods! This is a huge step forwards in the campaign. It looks as though, potentially, we are nearing a majority in Parliament, depending on how many Conservative and other MPs decide to support this.

2018-02-11 22:36:20 +0000

1,000 signatures reached

2016-05-24 12:31:47 +0100

500 signatures reached

2016-05-20 12:23:31 +0100

100 signatures reached

2016-05-20 11:03:57 +0100

50 signatures reached

2016-05-19 08:20:19 +0100

25 signatures reached

2016-05-17 20:06:14 +0100

10 signatures reached