Giant, 140-Year-Old Lobster Liberated from NYC Restaurant

Did you read the story that came out on last Friday about the giant lobster who PETA saved from being eaten at a New York City restaurant? Let me fill you in: “George” weighs 20 pounds. PETA and the owners of the restaurant where he was found, City Crab and Seafood in New York, estimate that he is somewhere around 140 years old. After bringing his uniqueness to the attention of the owners of City Crab and Seafood, PETA members were able to convince them to spare the arthropod. George was released into the Atlantic ocean near Kennebunkport, Maine, in an area where lobster trapping is forbidden.

Lobsters are truly amazing animals. They can live to be 200 years old and are rather intelligent. Despite living in deep, dark, and cold waters, they have intricate social lives. I remember hearing a story a couple years ago about some scientists who attached an underwater video camera to some lobster traps. They found that for every lobster that was caught in a trap, two or three escape with the help of their crustacean friends and family. How amazing is that? Sure, lobsters look very different from us, but they too are intelligent and caring.

It is a tragedy that these thoughtful beings are subject to such a barbaric act of torture: Slowly being boiled while still alive. Everytime I see an image of a bright red lobster, a shudder runs down my spine. (Lobsters are naturally a dark greenish color and only turn red after suffering scalding hot water.) And let’s not forget that they have their claws tied together and are piled atop one another in tiny tanks at supermarkets and in restaurants. It may be difficult for us to empathize with lobsters since they appear so different than us, but let me assure you that they suffer just as we do.

This story reminds me of the starfish parable. While we may not have the power to save every lobster from being scalded alive, at least George got away. I hope his story inspires more people to leave lobsters, and for that matter all other animals, off their dinner plates for good.

Read more: animal cruelty, animal welfare, lobster, peta, seafood, vegetarian

photo from flickr via creativecommons.org

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Shabnam S.

5:51AM PDT on Jul 5, 2012

I would never eat lobster. It breaks my heart to see them suffering. I wish I could make others see and feel their suffering and pain :(

July 5
send a green star

Pornchada V.

9:18PM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

Thank you for the lovely article - very enlightening!

July 4
send a green star

Ken W.

2:50PM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

George wolud not vote for the gop do you think !!!!

Elizabeth J.

1:38PM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

Wow, I didn't realize that lobsters could live that long let alone be that intelligent and social. Good for George. Hope he lives a good, long life of freedom.

Kyire D.

12:22PM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

Is very sad, i have never eaten lobster has never appealed to me. I have always felt sad for them in those tanks they are beautiful and should be where they belong the ocean.

Teresa W.

8:08AM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

I didn't know lobsters lived that long...

8:07AM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

good news

Erika M.

8:04AM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

Well, thats one good thing PETA has done.

Carole D.

4:58AM PDT on Jul 4, 2012

All of this sounds either high minded or dismissive. You are doing harm by living in this culture and that is the ironic and sad fact...to animals, living creatures and human beings. We don't know the half of what harm we create when we have a lust for the latest electronic gadget or piece of designer clothing, unless we read in the Times that there was another Foxconn riot in China protesting plant conditions...in the wake of a new Apple product coming out. Or unless a brave whistleblower risks himself or herself filming animals tortured as in the cove. The question is, what can you live with in yourself, knowing that the choices you make go beyond your own desires and impact others, the environment and animals...and ultimately rest on your own doorstep, which you may or may not know consciously. Will you help yourself physically if you don't eat animal, fish or crustacean protein, but eat other proteins like nuts, eggs, raw milk cheeses, beans? Possibly if you are of that body type. Only you know and only you can decide what is best for you...you have to live with yourself...and if you want to live either in oblivion or various forms of "awareness," regardless, the culture will render you a hypocrite somewhere, somehow, only you may not know it. There is no getting around having blood on your hands from wars, slave labor, abuse of animals/fish/living things...and other things we don't even know about yet but will eventually be informed of. Regardless, if you can make a di