Shop staff ‘shellshocked’ after finding live crab on York city centre street
Considering York is about 36 miles from the nearest coastline, he was a long way outside his comfort zone.
And unless this crab was looking to shell out for some Coney Street bargains, he was definitely in the wrong place.
He was found in an alleyway off the street by staff from Boots on Monday lunchtime. They alerted the RSPCA.
Inspector Thomas Hutton said:
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This poor thing must have been feeling crabby after being dumped in an alley in the middle of York – a long way from his natural habitat.
They managed to catch him before confining him in a bowl with some water.
Abandoned by two young men
Thomas added:
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It’s extremely irresponsible to leave this crab in this way.
It’s an extremely dangerous setting for an animal that is used to living his life on the beaches and rocks and in the sea. He could have easily been seriously injured or killed.
Crustaceans are sentient beings and the RSPCA – along with other animal welfare charities and many members of the public – are calling for a bill enshrining animal sentience law to include decapod crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters and cephalopods like octopuses, cuttlefish and squid.
Animal collection officer Martin Whiteley took the crab to SeaLife Centre in Scarborough where he’s now being taken care of.
It’s not clear where the crab came from before being abandoned by the boys.