A 140-year-old, 20 pound lobster named George, who was the unofficial mascot at City Crab and Seafood (235 Park Avenue) for 12 years, got sprung from his tank this weekend and popped back into the Atlantic. After there was a request from...wait for it...PETA, the restaurant decided to relinquish the giant crustacean. On Saturday, PETA volunteers drove the lobster up to Maine and released him. Oh, to be a fly on the wall for that road trip. 

Sayeth PETA president Ingrid Newkirk:

"We applaud the folks at City Crab and Seafood for their compassionate decision to allow this noble old-timer to live out his days in freedom and peace."

Um, well, I like eating lobsters, but does this remind anyone else of that scene in The Yearling where the boy is throwing rocks at the poor little deer, trying to get the it to run off into the wild?

"Swim away George! Swim, noble old-timer!"

[CNN]