Justice for Animals and Nature

The sentience of animals like crabs, lobsters & prawns (decapod crustaceans), calls for their legal protection.

The welfare of decapod crustaceans remains largely unprotected, and they are truly voiceless. Their suffering at the humans is a blot on our moral conscience.

There is compelling scientific evidence that they are sentient and therefore can experience pain, and in light of the extreme practices they are subjected to, the animal welfare movement of Sri Lanka must take up their cause.

There must be a legal requirement for food processors, supermarkets, and restaurants to consider their welfare during storage, handling, or killing. Invertebrates are also animals as defined in the Animal Welfare Bill.  There must be Regulations and Codes of Practice in the new draft Animal Welfare Act to cover crustaceans such as Shrimp, Crab, and Lobster. 

These animals i.e., crabs and lobsters are frequently killed by breaking off the legs, head, or tail, and then being boiled alive. It has been estimated that an edible crab boiled alive may remain conscious for at least three minutes.

In restaurants that specialize in Crab and Lobster culinary, they can be often seen crammed together in brightly lit tanks with no consideration for their welfare and they are killed in the most inhumane and barbaric manner.

Even high-profile people who have enough money to live in great comfort and ought to behave like national role models showing love and compassion for sentient beings, have unfortunately taken to this unpitying trade and thereby have brought shame on themselves and their respected sports and alma mater (school).