The welfare of crabs and crustaceans at slaughter is increasingly scientifically and legally recognized, prompting reforms in handling and killing methods.
The welfare case for crabs and other crustaceans is built on evidence of complex nervous systems, nociceptors, and behavioral evidence of aversion learning. Live boiling causes a prolonged period of tissue damage before death. While scientific certainty about subjective pain experience in crabs is debated, the precautionary principle applied to billions of animals annually creates a compelling welfare imperative for improved slaughter methods.