August Newsletter: What happened in August?
Actions Update
During August, you helped us meet some big supporter action goals. We have had over 200 faces added to our selfie wall, over 4000 letters written to MPs all over the UK, and have almost reached 57,000 signatures on our petition!
These numbers are so significant because they not only show the government that the public cares about this issue, but also keeps it on the political agenda. Without you taking these actions, decapod sentience would not be a topic of discussion in parliament right now.
Aquatic Animals Alliance Letter
The Aquatic Animals Alliance(AAA) have sent a letter, signed by 39 international animal welfare organisations, to the UK government, calling for decapod crustaceans to be protected in the Sentience Bill.
The AAA is a coalition of advocates who are working to end the suffering of aquatic animals. They outline five key areas where they would like to see change in order to improve the welfare of these animals: water quality, stocking density, feed composition, stunning & slaughter, and environmental enrichment. The letter is yet another strong message to the government that this issue is important and will not be forgotten.
News from New Zealand
There have been big advances in decapod welfare in New Zealand.
New Zealand was already setting an example, being one of the first countries to include decapod crustaceans in their animal welfare legislation. Now they’ve taken another step ahead by banning the freezing of lobsters thanks to a complaint from the NZ Animal Law Association (NZALA).
The NZALA argued that freezing decapods, a method mistakenly used in an attempt to ’stun’ them before slaughter, is actually more harmful for their welfare. They refer to evidence which supports that the lobsters will still feel the pain of the boiling process, and will in fact remain conscious longer as a result of the prior freezing.
The NZ government listened and the law is being amended. Congratulations to New Zealand and we hope many other countries will follow in their footsteps, including the UK.
