Free At Last
 

By VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer Verena Dobnik, Associated Press Writer – Sat Jan 10, 2:05 am ET

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NEW YORK – A 140-year-old lobster once destined for a dinner plate received the gift of life Friday from a Park Avenue seafood restaurant.
George, the 20-pound supercentenarian crustacean, was freed by City Crab and Seafood in New York City.
"We applaud the folks at City Crab and Seafood for their compassionate decision to allow this noble old-timer to live out his days in freedom and peace," said Ingrid E. Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
PETA spokesman Michael McGraw said the group asked City Crab to return George to the Atlantic Ocean after a diner saw him at the restaurant, where steamed Maine lobster sells for $27 per pound. George had been caught off Newfoundland, Canada and lived in the tank for about 10 days before his release.
Some scientists estimate lobsters can live to be more than 100 years old. PETA and the restaurant guessed George's age at about 140, using a rule of thumb based on the creature's weight.
He was to be released Saturday near Kennebunkport, Maine, in an area where lobster trapping is forbidden.

As much as I love to eat lobster ....... it being one of my very favourite meals ..... this story warmed my heart.

If I knew that my proposed dinner was a very elderly crustacean, I'd rather see him returned to the wild while I "enjoyed" a dinner of lettuce, tomatoes and whatever other delacies the restaraunt had in store for me as a side salad.

But...... if it was a juicy young lobster, there's no way he'd be spared!

......*insert smiley with drooling mouth here*...

Poor old thing. :(

Glad it is free again now. :)

Oooohhhh, lobster, such a delectable, mouth watering experience! :D But this is too cool, them letting him go. 140-year old anything deserves to live out their life and not end up on a dinner plate! :eek: