Switzerland has initiated a law which calls for a more humane way to cook lobster.
Switzerland’s government has barred the culinary practice of throwing lobsters into boiling hot water while they are alive, The Guardian reported. The government said the crustaceans must be “stunned” before being boiled.
“The practice of plunging live lobsters into boiling water, which is common in restaurants, is no longer permitted,” the government order stated. “Lobsters will now have to be stunned before they are put to death.”
The government explained the crustaceans can be “stunned” by electrically shocking the sea creature, or by the “mechanical destruction” of their brains.
The move is a response to studies that suggest lobsters are sentient with advanced nervous systems that may feel pain. Animal rights activists and scientists have claimed lobsters could feel “significant pain” when they are thrown alive into boiling water.
The government also ordered the live crustaceans to be transported in their natural habitat and not on ice or icy water.
The Swiss have also cracked down on illegal puppy farms and devices that discipline dogs when they bark.
The order is expected to go into effect on March 1.