Store sells shrink wrapped crabs...alive

[Catherine]

I am glad I didn't shop at a store like that. It would have been distressing. People looking at the fresh crabs sealed in plastic realized that they are still alive.
Worse, this practice is not illegal. Crabs are not protected in any way.


https://www.thedodo.com/market-selling-l...84966.html

The outrage was strong enough that the company is going to stop the practice. I can't believe they did it in the first place. However it does show that speaking up and complaining is effective. We can change things by our actions.

[LPC]

What a cruel and appalling thing to do to! As you say, Catherine, once again this shows that speaking up can and does change the practices of others - especially where a company is being criticised publicly and risks losing money.

I noted this important article, which is a link in the one you cited:
http://blogs.nature.com/news/2013/08/exp...-pain.html

I have bookmarked that page. Anyone who eats lobsters, prawns, etc. should be aware of the suffering caused by being boiled alive.

[Catherine]

That is a good article. I don't know why we ever thought crustaceans can't feel pain. I suspect it is because we want to treat them badly and we don't want to feel guilty about it.

In theory we treat mice and other animals better, but lab animals are subjected to many painful things. Animals used for fur are treated horrifically.

But we don't package live mammals for food and display them in a store.

Reptiles are often skinned alive and left to die which can take days. Again this is not done in public.

We know it is wrong to cause so much suffering to an animal so we hide it. Crustaceans are considered so low that they didn't think they needed to hide their pain.

I am glad people complained. We need to be constantly on watch for animal abuse. Our complaints do get results.

[Tobi]

(10-27-2015, 02:49 PM)Catherine Wrote: The outrage was strong enough that the company is going to stop the practice. I can't believe they did it in the first place. However it does show that speaking up and complaining is effective. We can change things by our actions.

Good news. It took public outrage to show these people what they did was horrific! But that is the way for some people. They learn when their business is affected, and when the public voice against them is strong.

Now why couldn't they have known from their own Hearts -as many children would have done?

But thank goodness it has been stopped. It does show our individual voices, even hundreds or thousands of miles away, are powerful.

[Catherine]

Quote:Now why couldn't they have known from their own Hearts -as many children would have done?

This is what always amazes me, who decides that it is okay to package and sell a live animal like that. Someone made an actual choice to do it that way. They have less compassion and common sense than most children.

All we can do is be vigilant and keep our voices active.

[Tobi]

What are the RSPCA doing saying this....?(quoted from the article on "The Dodo"):

"the RSPCA told several outlets that crabs are exempt from the U.K.'s 2006 Animal Welfare Law, so it's entirely legal to package them alive."

What utter robotic nonsense. They should be doing something to protect creatures of all kinds, not spouting legal-speak!

[Catherine]

Quote:"the RSPCA told several outlets that crabs are exempt from the U.K.'s 2006 Animal Welfare Law, so it's entirely legal to package them alive."

Sometimes I think groups like the RSPCA have forgotten their mandate. Even if crabs are not protected by law, they should be defending them from abuse. If the RSPCA only goes as far as the existing laws then they fail to protect all animals. If they exclude some animals from their protection then they have chosen to see some animals as less valuable. That is a violation of any mandate to protect animals.

[Tobi]

Yes you are right Catherine.

I can understand it may be hard for the RSPCA, as obviously they have to work within a legal framework. But the least they could do is kick up a fuss about this, as WE are doing! Not just turn a blind eye and quote the 'Law'.
Even if they made some fuss about it on Twitter or their Facebook page, or organised some lobbying....it would all help.
Instead, others have to do that.
They may say such things are not their responsibility. But in my view, they are, as they are in existence for the protection of animals.

The law concerning Crustaceans must be changed. The only reason -in my view anyway -for them to be exempt, is because it is very convenient. and means they can be boiled alive without anyone stoppng to think or feel for them.

I think there are plenty of studies which show they do feel pain. Well of course, any truly sentient Being would already know that they do! But for the law to be changed, scientific studies would probably have to be presented. So why AREN'T they being presented??

Also I bear a thought for those poor creatures involved in such 'scientific studies'......

There really is another way, and that is direct intuition and compassion. Simple.

It seems the ways of these things as they stand, are created and upheld in such a way that borders on the psychotic.

[Catherine]

The RSPCA has become part of the establishment and they don't want to create controversy. Who knows, some of their people may enjoy eating crustaceans and don't want to hear that they can feel pain. Some of their supporters may work in the fishing industry and have an interest in selling live crabs.

The RSPCA no longer lives up to its name.

I think it is becoming very clear that all animal life feels pain. We should have always known that fact. We should be able to sense it. It does not speak too highly of us that even when we know it, we claim it is not true. (Because it does not suit our needs to know that animals suffer)

Quote:It seems the ways of these things as they stand, are created and upheld in such a way that borders on the psychotic.

I think you put it very well. There is something very wrong with us that we are willing to treat animals the way we do. Most people want to be in total ignorance of where their food comes from. When they find out about some animal cruelty, they stand behind the law that allows it.

It is wonderful that people actually protested that the crabs were alive. What is disturbing is the fact that someone out there actually packaged them alive. They knew they were doing that to a live animal. Didn't that bother them in any way?

You are right, there is a lot of psychotic behavior going on with regards to animals.