Contact:
Bruce Friedrich 757-622-7382

Washington - PETA has sent a letter to U.S. Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-N.H.) thanking him for liberating an 11-pound lobster named Larry at a community days celebration in Kingston, N.H., earlier this month. Rep. Bradley agreed to turn his "prize" over to 9-year-old Barbara Chambers, who had her heart set on returning the animal to the sea. Larry is now back home in the cool ocean depths. After releasing Larry, Barbara stated, "He’s probably reuniting with his family now."

In the letter, PETA cites a veterinary surgeon who attests to the fact that lobsters feel pain—just as all animals do. PETA asks Rep. Bradley to cosponsor House Resolution 5557, which would require that anyone seeking to sell animal products to the federal government—including to the military, federal prisons, and school-lunch or other programs—meet basic animal welfare standards. PETA also enclosed its shocking video "Meet Your Meat," which graphically shows what happens to animals in animal factories and slaughterhouses before they end up on people’s plates.

"Rep. Bradley should be very proud of his decision to set Larry free," says PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich. "We hope that his compassion will extend to all animals and will show up in his legislative record, starting with H.R. 5557."

For more information, please visit PETA’s Web site GoVeg.com.

PETA’s letter to U.S. Rep. Jeb Bradley follows.

August 22, 2006

The Honorable Jeb Bradley
United States House of Representatives

One page via fax: 202-225-5822

Dear Representative Bradley,

On behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 1.1 million members and supporters, I want to thank you for your compassionate decision to allow Larry the lobster to be released back into the waters of New Hampshire.

Dr. Nedim C. Buyukmihci, a professor of veterinary surgery, says, "There is no question that lobsters have the ability to feel pain and suffer …. [I]t would be inappropriate to do something to lobsters that you would not consider doing to conscious dogs, cats, or humans." Lobsters suffer immensely when they are boiled alive, and thanks to you and Miss Chambers, Larry the lobster will be spared from an agonizing death.

I hope that you won’t mind my approaching you on another matter while you seem to be in an especially compassionate mood. As you may be aware, more than 27 billion animals are killed each year for food. I am mailing you separately a copy of "Meet Your Meat," an undercover documentary that chronicles their plight. You can also watch this documentary at Meat.org.

I hope that after you watch it, you will consider joining Reps. Shays and DeFazio in sponsoring the Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act (H.R. 5557), which would require that anyone seeking to sell animal products to the federal government—including to the military, federal prisons, and school lunch or other programs—meet basic animal welfare standards.

Thank you again for your compassionate decision to save Larry the lobster. Please let me know that you’ll be cosponsoring H.R. 5557.

Sincerely,

Bruce Friedrich
Vice President, International Grassroots Campaigns