Waiting to Die in the Deli Department

Captive Lobsters  (Photo by GrammarFascist)

Are two people inherently worth twice as much as one?  Are humans inherently worth more than crustaceans?  Such questions tend to keep ethically-tormented souls awake at night.

Christine Loughead seems to be one of these souls.  At the tender age of ten, she chose to become a vegetarian rather than swat “a small bothersome bug.”  After all, “what made her, or really any human, worthy of the job of judge…”

During the ensuing 33 years, Loughead’s sensitivities continued to grow.  Morphing from vegetarian to vegan, she “launched a host of other animal rescues.”  We’re not talking Free Willy, we’re talking free Mickey and Minnie from sticky traps.

As anticlimactic as that might seem, Loughead makes no distinction between simple and complex beings.  All are worthy of loving attention.  All need to be saved.

So when Loughead noticed "Lobby Joe" at a local deli department, she knew what she had to do.  After purchasing him live for $15, Loughead carried him out in a bucket of salt water.  As they reached the car, she assured the lobster:  You are now not dinner!

Loughead somehow managed to transport Lobby back to his native Nova Scotia.  It wasn’t cheap, and it wasn’t easy.  But for an altruist like Loughead, it was infinitely satisfying.

Resources

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/06/03/this-vegan-just-dropped-300-so-she-could-return-a-lonely-lobster-to-the-sea/ 

Copyright June 22, 2016 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved