Louie the 22-pound Lobster has been in a tank at Peter’s Clam Bar for 20 years. Recently, new owner Butch Yamali was offered $1,000 for Louie by a customer who wanted a special treat for Father’s Day. Lucky for Louie, Yamali refused and it got him thinking about his favorite underwater pet’s wellbeing. Yamali decided it was time to spring Louie from the big house.
Pictures by Peter’s Clam House
Eventually Yamali decided that Louie should get to live out the rest of his life in the Atlantic ocean where he had originally come from. The town of Hempstead held a special ceremony to celebrate Louie’s return to freedom. Hempstead Town Supervisor Anthony Santino; “Today I’m announcing an official pardon for Louie the Lobster. Louie may have faced a buttery fate on a seafood lover’s plate, but today we are here to return Louie to a life that is better down where it’s wetter.”
If you are worried that Louie won’t make it in the wild after living in a tank for so long, remember that he lived in the ocean for over 100 years. Robert Bayer from the Lobster Institute; “He’ll be just fine. There aren’t many predators who want to eat a big old lobster like that. Hopefully, he finds a mate – and lives happily ever after.”
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