Advocacy
The legal recognition of decapod crustacean sentience
In 2022 animal welfare history was made with the inclusion of decapod crustaceans in the UK Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act, 2022. This landmark occasion recognised animals like crabs, lobsters, and prawns as sentient animals in UK law for the first time. The recognition of their sentience (that is their capability to feel emotions such as fear, distress and joy) means that their ability to feel pain and suffering can no longer be ignored. We continue our advocacy work to ensure that these fragile animals get the legal protection they deserve.
We engage with legislators and policy makers to strengthen and enforce animal welfare law and policy.
The aim of our policy work is to ensure that decapod crustaceans are included in all relevant animal protection legislation, and that existing regulations are sufficiently enforced. Our efforts are supported not just by compelling scientific evidence but also by cross-party political support.
Our work involves engaging with policymakers by using the overwhelming scientific evidence that’s available to argue for improvements to the welfare of decapod crustaceans. We regularly meet with politicians across the political spectrum to inform them of our campaign efforts, we draft Parliamentary Questions to obtain information from the government and provide information for MPs when they are speaking in debates. We’re proud of the relationships we’ve built with civil servants across the UK, and the information sharing that this enables allows us to work collaboratively and efficiently for decapods. We also work closely with other animal protection organisations in the UK as part of the Better Deal for Animals coalition and internationally with Eurogroup for Animals and ALI / AAA.
