Forest Park Bar Pulls Cruel ‘Lobster Zone’ Machine

by Michael dEstries February 5, 2010
Categories: Animals.

lobsterno We’re happy to report that Doc Ryan’s in Chicago has removed the ‘Lobster Zone’ claw game!

The bar came under pressure from animal rights organization PETA earlier this week over the game — which has players attempt to capture live lobsters with a claw. Snag one, and the unlucky crustacean is sent to its doom in the kitchen. Besides the end result of being boiled alive, animals trapped in Lobster Zone machines are given no food and are sometimes injured by the claw.

After talking with a local PETA activist, the owner of Doc Ryan’s, Brian Sullivan, decided within 24 hours to remove the Lobster Zone machine. Sullivan says that he is an animal lover and that he would never want to use a machine that tortures animals. Doc Ryan’s has a veggie burger on the menu and is open to including additional vegan options.

“PETA and lobsters thank Doc Ryan’s for doing the right thing and ending a game in which lobsters were exploited,” says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. “The pub’s decision also makes good business sense because more and more people are choosing to patronize places that reject cruelty.”

According to a release, PETA plans on sending Sullivan flowers as gratitude for the compassionate decision.

Categories: Animals.

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →

Rad_Rosa89

Finally!!!
It’s great to know that this horrible “game” is gone!
Chastity

It’s not only the treatment of nonhuman animals that is wrong, it is the USAGE of them. People constantly think that it’s perfectly fine and dandy if an animal was not beaten or abused prior to their death. Abused or not, the fact of the matter is that nonhuman animals are commodities whose purpose is to serve and cater human beings and that is what absolutely horrific and needs to stop.

This game was absolutely ludicrous and barbaric. I agree with that. But let’s not kid ourselves. That machine would not have existed had it not been for the DEMAND of the dead bodies (or soon to be) that belong to animals. This is hardly a victory.

GO VEGAN!
http://chicagoliposuctionsurgeons.com/ Chicago liposuction

I don’t think the stories are getting reported because it’s PETA. I think it’s because of the weird incidents involving animals that PETA discovers. No, a Lobster Zone machine is not earth-shaking, but it is mildly interesting. I certainly never knew that such a machine existed and now that I do know, I still don’t care. But, yeah, most of the time it’s because of the types of situations that PETA reports on, not PETA itself. Granted, some of PETA’s antics are newspaper-ready like posing nude on the street, painting oneself green and locking yourself in a cage in Daley Center Plaza (which happened) and throwin red paint on women’s furcoats. But if this had been some other animal rights organization, I think the story still would have made the press.

Dgredy

YOU ARE AN IDIOT!

sabita patwardhan

Totally disgusted and saddened for the lobsters who already have suffered horribly and died. How can anybody boil a living thing alive?
Hope these people are punished because the animals who have already suffered will never be able to undo the pain.
http://www.freemicrosoftpointstoday.com FreeMsPointsGuy

So…. Im just in shock right now. Im from chicago and if i ever saw this machine I would seriously FLIP out! This is probably the most cruelest things I have seen. Good thing they have taken this machine out.
Zippy Pinframe

wait a second

its ok to pick out a lobster and have him boiled
its not ok to pick out a lobster *with a mechanical claw* and have him boiled?

am i missing something here?

doesn’t ‘lobster gets boiled’ beat ‘lobster is picked up with mechanical claw’ in severity?

and yet we’re concerned with the claw??

are you people stupid?

http://www.ecorazzi.com Michael d'Estries

Zippy,

From what I understand, the Lobsters were often injured by the claw during unsuccessful grabs.

Rock Lobster

I have played this game. There is NO WAY that lobsters are getting hurt with this claw. It is made out of plastic, not metal, and is run with light air pressure. The lobsters in the tank are already doomed anyway, what is the difference if you pick them out of a restaurant tank with a wooden rake or out of the game with a plastic claw. F U PETA!! Everyone should google “peta kills animals”