witnessing ongoing animal abuse. (more questions)
Last night I went to a Chinese restaurant and saw something pretty disturbing. You know how a lot of restaurants have those little tanks for the poor lobsters? Well, at this restaurant they had the lobsters in a tank...but the tank was one of those arcade games with the giant claw that reaches in and pulls out a prize, sends it down a shoot and you get the stuffed animal, only, it was live lobsters.
The "shoot" was about a two foot fall onto a hard plastic surface (no water.) I'm sure you all have seen games like this. You know that usually the claw picks things up and drops it again before you are actually able to get the prize, so these poor lobsters are manhandled day in and day out, until they a dropped onto a hard surface with nothing to break their fall- if that doesn't kill them, they are scaled alive and fed to humans.
I felt this was so sick. It was one of the most aggravated situations of animal abuse that i can imagine. To make a GAME out of these creatures deaths is disgusting. I have contacted PETA, they said it may take up to TWO WEEKS to get a reply. I am going back to take photos of the contraption today, I hope. I just don't know what the next step is after that, write a letter to the owner asking them to discontinue the practice? If I don't get anywhere with that then what? animal control? the press?
ug! thats horrible. what a terrible message to send to kids, that torturing animals like that is fun.
OMG...that is disgusting and unconscionable to me! :'( >:( I hope PETA is able to help you. (((hugs)))
That ALMOST sounds unbelievable, but I definitely believe you...but I still ALMOST can't believe it..ya know? I just don't..understand. Do the customers have to pay for this? The customers are maneuvering the claw? Do they do this when they want to eat one, or just whenever? Wow. You definitely need to do your best to get that taken away! Seeing as how these people thought it was 'ok' I'm guessing they will just think of some other torture device...or just continue to treat the lobsters cruelly, but hopefully you can help. >:( :'(
As if dropping them in boiling hot water weren't enough.
Disturbing is right. Twisted, sick, malevolent, gratuitous...I'm out of adjectives bad enough for this. :'( :'( :'( Gives a whole new meaning to "stop playing with your food."
sorry guys, gotta post these two by two...here we go...
The Prision/ fun arcade game:
the shoot: top part starts at my armpit, bottom is at my kneecap (Im 5'8")
the victims:
this is where you claim you "prize"
its a game...not fun for everyone. The lady at the resturaunt said they "have had 8 winners in three weeks...more losers than winners though." So these guys and how many others have been molested by that thing!?!
the bottom one is hard to see, but if you enlarge it you can see the two lobsters cuddling together in the very center... its the corner of the tank,probably trying to hide from the claw... :'(
the rest:
This is incredibly disturbing on so many levels. :'( I hope someone from PETA or ALDF contacts you soon.
just OMG! :-[
is there a local animal rights group around? would this constute animal cruelty to the local humane group or something? or is it just food? ugh.
How about writing an editorial to the local paper?
How about writing an editorial to the local paper?
I would absolutely do this whether or not you hear from PETA or ALDF because this is just horrible
How about writing an editorial to the local paper?
I would absolutely do this whether or not you hear from PETA or ALDF because this is just horrible
I agree. People need to be made aware of this... society walks around, not alarmed by any of this and other ways that animals are exploited and treated. An article would calll attention and perhaps make others stop and think, wtf?
So let me see if I understand...this is just a "game"? As in, it's not the way they choose the lobsters, it's just you give it a shot to SEE if you "win" a free lobster meal? And if you get one, they give it to you for free.?? OK, yeah--I was right. Sick. Twisted. Malevolent. It's bad enough to walk up to a tank or holding box and pick out your food while it's still alive, but "just to see if I can get a freebie"--that's sicker yet.
So let me see if I understand...this is just a "game"? As in, it's not the way they choose the lobsters, it's just you give it a shot to SEE if you "win" a free lobster meal? And if you get one, they give it to you for free.?? OK, yeah--I was right. Sick. Twisted. Malevolent. It's bad enough to walk up to a tank or holding box and pick out your food while it's still alive, but "just to see if I can get a freebie"--that's sicker yet.
yeah...thats just it...makes me sad. :-( I contacted ALDF and PETA...I'm not sure how long it will take to hear back from them. Because of the long weekend, I'm not sure if there is anyone getting the Emails.
I'm composing a letter to send to them. I figure thats the first step...just asking them to remove it. I think on Tuesday, I shall overnight it to them with delivery confirmation. Is there a way to get the letter notarized so I have proof of what I sent to them and when? How long after I send it should I allow for them to respond before involving the press, police or animals control? I also don't know how one would go about looking up laws to see if there is currently a law that would prohibit this. If there is not, hopefully the ALDF can help me there. Or maybe one of my vegwebbers are savvy?
I AM technically a member of the southern New Hampshire "Animals rights Meetup.com group" but I have never been to any of the meetings...so I don't know if it would be considered "rude" of me to butt in now that I have an issue, what do you guys think? I also don't know if any of them have any expertise in this area. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to shoot out an email?
I have half a mind to go there and "play" till I win the two lobsters (put a cushion at the bottom of the shoot to break their fall) and take care of them till they could be released....but I know those two would be replaced with others...it wont end until the machine goes, I'm afraid.
If you send a certified letter that they have to sign for to get, that should do it. You'll have the documentation of having sent it, and they'll have to sign for it. It's how people used to self-copyright material, and may yet, for all I know.
There should be notaries all over your city, but yes, a certified letter should be adequate. Keep the receipt.
Zealia, I think your best course of action is exactly the one you are following: making animal rights groups aware. I do very much like the idea of sending a letter to the editor of your local paper as well. Even if it doesn't cause formal action, if you word it in a calmly persuasive way, it may cause anyone who reads it to avoid the lobster game and the place that it is in. If you word it in an inflammatory way, you run the risk of stirring up malicious anti-vegetarians... so be careful to purge anything that could be seen as hand-wringing or defamatory from it. And... :)>>> Hang in there!