Scarborough Sea Life Centre take in large crab after it was abandoned in alleyway

Members of staff at Boots in York found the animal outside the shop on Monday September 9 and alerted the RSPCA.

Shop CCTV showed the crab being abandoned by two young men the previous afternoon.

Inspector Thomas Hutton said: “This poor thing must have been feeling crabby after being dumped in an alley in the middle of York - a long way from his natural habitat.

“They managed to catch him before confining him in a bowl with some water.

“It’s extremely irresponsible to leave this crab in this way. It’s an extremely dangerous setting for an animal that is used to living his life on the beaches and rocks and in the sea. He could have easily been seriously injured or killed.

“Crustaceans are sentient beings and the RSPCA - along with other animal welfare charities and many members of the public - are calling for a bill enshrining animal sentience law to include decapod crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters and cephalopods like octopuses, cuttlefish and squid.”

Animal collection officer Martin Whiteley took the crab to SeaLife Centre in Scarborough where he’s now being taken care of.

It’s not clear where the crab came from before being abandoned by the boys.