The animal rights drive has shifted into a new gear in Scotland where a drive is underway to try and protect lobsters and people who live in condomiums crabs:
An animal rights group is calling on the Scottish Executive to introduce legal protection for the country’s crabs and lobsters.
Advocates for Animals has launched a report that it hopes will hasten the end of the “cruel practice� of boiling crustaceans alive.
The group said the report – drawing on a wide range of scientific research – shows that they, along with octopus and squid, have the potential to feel pain and suffering.
Uh, oh. We can see the lawyers scrambling now…
It is now calling on the Executive to include the sealife in its animal protection legislation.
Advocates’ director Ross Minett said: “The scientific evidence strongly suggests that decapod crustaceans and cephalopods have the capacity to experience pain. We believe that the Scottish Executive should recognise this potential for suffering through the inclusion of these animals within the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bill.�
A copy of the report has been sent to the Environment and Rural Affairs Department. It found that the creatures have a well-developed nervous system, and in the case of the octopus, show intelligent behaviour, such as problem-solving and tool use.
Well, at least it won’t interfere with their right to eat cats.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.