Lobster Zone Machines May Be Illegal.

Activists in California have brought suit against the makers of Lobster Zone machines for being in violation of a California law that prevents animals from being “tormented” or “subjected to needless suffering.”

The Lobster Zone machines are crane games filled with live lobsters. Customers deposit money, a lobster zone song plays, and the user is given the chance to use a mechanical crane to pull a live lobster out of a saltwater tank.  The games are usually housed in seafood restaurants who will then cook the caught lobster.

When the music comes on, the lobsters begin to run and hide in fear of the crane.  Once caught, they are dropped in a chute, boiled alive, chopped up, and served to the customer.  

The Lobster Zone machines subject animals to needless suffering because lobsters spend the majority of their lives being tormented by the patrons before they and cruelly killed and eaten.  Even people who have not opposed to eating lobsters are against the the ridiculous game.

The Orange County People for Animals have filed a lawsuit citing California Penal Code Section 597 (b) which makes it a crime to “torment” or “subject [animals] to needless suffering.”  The group says the suit, along with numerous recent demonstrations at restaurants, have caused owners to remove the machines from their establishments.

The put live animals in an arcade game or vending machine is unacceptable.  To report a restaurant that is using the Lobster Zone game or to take online action against the arcade of cruelty, check out this site.