VIDEO: Lobster rescued from grocery store, shipped to NS

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Cheryl Santa Maria

Digital Reporter

Friday, June 3, 2016, 2:29 PM - A lobster nicknamed "Lobby Joe" went on a cross-country tour before being returned to the ocean in Halifax, N.S.

The story has made headlines across the country.

Now, we present video of Lobby Joe's 3,500 km journey.

But first: A bit of background.

Christine Loughead and her partner first met Joe at a grocery store in Redwood, Ont.

“As vegans, being in the meat section is obviously, just, visually ... a lot of dead animals and blood and carnage, but there’s this one live animal just sitting there,” Loughead told Metro.

“He was waiting for someone to boil him alive, and we just took him; we bought him.”

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He spent a few days living in a saltwater tank in Loughead's basement. Then, on May 24, Loughead and her partner drove 6 hours to Winnipeg, MB, home to the closest UPS store that ships live animals.

Loughead says the people at UPS punched holes in Joe's container and labeled the box "pet", letting handlers know there was precious cargo inside.

By May 25, the crustacean had arrived in Halifax and was picked up by a woman Loughead had connected with through an online vegan group in Bridgewater. She released him into the ocean.

Loughead says she understand criticisms that by paying for Lobby Joe she's supporting an industry that goes against her vegan ideals.

For now, Loughead says she'll try to avoid the grocery store she found Joe in -- but she's not sure what she would do if she came across another group of live lobsters.

VIDEO: LOBBY JOE'S FANTASTIC VOYAGE:





Here's a breakdown of the rescue mission:

DISTANCE:

Distance from Red Lake Ontario, to Winnipeg, Manitoba (via car): 482 km

Distance from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Halifax, N.S. (via plane): 3,503 km

Distance from Halifax, N.S. to Bridgewater, N.S. (via car): 105 km





Total distance traveled: 4,090 km

COST (not including gas):

Cost to purchase Lobby Joe from Grocery store: $20

Cost to ship Lobby Joe to Nova Scotia: $225





Total cost, not including gas: $245

Source: Metro

VIDEO: BLUE LOBSTER FOUND IN CAPE BRETON: