Human ‘Lobster’ to Be ‘Scalded Alive’ by PETA Supporters at Lobster Festival

For Immediate Release:
July 28, 2025

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

On opening day of the Maine Lobster Festival—where thousands of sentient lobsters will be cooked alive in violation of Maine cruelty-to-animals law which prohibits tormenting sentient animals—PETA supporters will gather for an eyepopping demonstration in which a chef will drag a struggling, screaming human “lobster” to a giant, steaming pot and “scald” them alive, asking people to recall the Golden Rule of “do unto others what you would have them do unto you.” The action comes on the heels of PETA’s lawsuit filed on July 24 and demands that the City of Rockland end the cruel and illegal practice of steaming live lobsters on public land.

“Lobsters feel pain and terror, and to pretend otherwise is a convenient way to avoid facing the fact that cooking them while they’re conscious is the same for them as it is for any human being,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA urges everyone to consider who is on their plates and please, choose vegan.”

Where:           Northeast corner of S. Main Street and Park Drive, Rockland

When:             Wednesday, July 30, 12 noon

Why:               Like humans, lobsters can recognize other individual lobsters, carry their babies for about nine months, and can live over 100 years. They also have complex nervous systems and feel intense pain when dismembered, boiled, or steamed alive, which one researcher described as “torture.” PETA’s website features a list of the best vegan seafood brands and a free vegan starter kit for anyone thinking of making the switch.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.