Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/crustacean-rights/

“It would be unthinkable to cause pain, suffering or distress to a mouse, rat or fish in a laboratory without proper regulation and ethical review. We have always been assured that invertebrates, like decapods, would be added to the [legislation] if there was enough evidence that they were sentient. The evidence has been collected, and octopuses are already included – the time to regulate decapod use is now,” said Dr. Penny Hawkins, the head of the animals in the science department at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

FIRST

Robert Ellwood, professor emeritus at the school of biological science at Queen’s University Belfast, is certainly happy with the Animal Sentience Bill which everyone expects to be passed into law. This means that very soon, crabs and lobsters would have the same protection as other animals as sentient beings.

Ellwood is the author of the research that established the fact that lobsters and crabs can feel pain and suffering. To him, the potential legislative development is something positive but he also said that it should be applied to both the commercial fishing industry and scientists.

“This is a step forward and if people are happy to accept that decapods are sentient and experience pain, then they should be given some protection. But I would see this … as a problem if they still leave millions of animals in commercial practices that are treated the same as before,” said Ellwood. “To ask scientists to go through all sorts of regulations that affect their work but allow these animals to be boiled alive at will would be unfair. It is asking for more rules, regulations and red tape, it will take longer to conduct an experiment, but that is a good thing, if it is applied across the board.”

At the moment, the bill is awaiting royal consent before its approval by the Parliament. It is a milestone for the protection of crustaceans and decapods. But still they are not under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, unlike mice, octopuses, and othery types of animals. This means that there is requirement for a licences or training before they can be used in procedures that can inflict pain, distress, or suffering..

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Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog