Maryland Blue Crabs promotional event--crabs need help.

[Carrie]

On April 24th the Maryland Blue Crabs baseball team is hosting a promotional event where they are giving away free live hermit crabs and terrariums to the first 1000 fans. I'm in a group on FB and we are calling and protesting the event. These crabs are of course doomed to die if given away like this. Also according to Maryland law it's illegal to give away live animals as prizes (the web site for this ishttp://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/2010/criminal-law/title-10/subtitle-6/10-610 ). The phone number to call the Blue Crabs team promotional people is (301) 638-9788, ext. 207. I wrote up a sample message that I used myself. "I'm calling from the Hermit Crab Paradise group. We are all very much against your upcoming promotion to give away 1000 free live hermit crabs at the Blue Crabs game on April 24th. Hermit crabs are exotic pets that require care way beyond the scope of what is being offered at this event. If cared for properly they can live 30 years or longer. In a situation such as this these animals are doomed to die and this promotion is an exercise in animal cruelty that the people promoting this event and the Blue Crabs team themselves should be ashamed of. As an alternative suggestion--cancel this event and give away hermit crab plush toys or figurines instead. Make your team something to REALLY be proud of and call off this promotion before these helpless creatures are needlessly abused and killed." That's just something to work from if you want. Other info: mailing address is Address is: 11765 St. Linus Drive Waldorf, MD 20602. The Animal Welfare Office can be contacted too (their info is as follows: "To report an animal cruelty or neglect complaint during business hours 8 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday:
Complaints received via email must contain the reporting party’s name and phone number; the name of the animal owner, (if known), a physical address, a description of the animals and the type of complaint. 207-287-3846." I really want to try to stop this promotion--it's just plain cruelty. I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules by posting all this but I'm really very upset about this... Attached is a photo of the promo sheet the Blue Crabs team is using.

[Carrie]

There is now a petition we can sign: https://www.change.org/p/maryland-blue- ... rmit-crabs

[appps]

If it's illegal shouldn't there be someone you can report them to as well? I would be making that my point in letters as well as stressing the possible fines etc they could receive. Generally if could mean money fines they will listen harder.

[Carrie]

They're trying to get a permit, apparently. I've been asleep all day (having been up for 3 days--damn insomnia!) and I'm trying to catch up on all my info. The petition is doing well and the Hermit Crab Association is also involved. Seems there's a chance they could give out vouchers so that people at the game could decide whether or not to turn them in.. but the team itself seems determined. of course.

[Carrie]

There's even media coverage.. whew! http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/28364973/h ... Y.facebook

[Carrie]

WE WON! http://www.somdbluecrabs.com/blog/post/ ... -promotion

[emmac350]

Yay! I came into this too late to be able to participate but I'm glad to see this was resolved much better than it could have.