It's 2019, and despite tens of thousands of you signing our petition, Sunsations and other beach chains are still gearing up for another year of selling hermit crabs who have been ripped from the seashore to languish in cages. TODAY: Urge the Ocean City, Maryland, Development Corporation to take a formal stand against the sale of hermit crabs by Sunsations and other stores on its boardwalk! Just send a quick, polite email by clicking here (use our sample message below).

Plight of the Hermies recently received a donation from a young girl named Sam, who wrote, "I just turned 10 years old. After I learned how bad it is to take hermit crabs away from their habitat, I asked for my birthday present from Grandma to help save the hermies. I wrote a letter to the Mayor of O.C. and Mr Meehan told me to contact the Boardwalk Development Corporation since O.C. doesn't sell hermit crabs. My dad also thanks you for what you are doing."

Sunsations, which has 17 locations in Ocean City, was recently exposed on video with horrifying conditions: broken claws from stressed, ailing crabs littered hermit crab cage floors, and a dead hermit crab was filmed inside one store.

Meanwhile, the Ocean City Development Corporation's (OCDC) mission is "to create and foster a safe and attractive environment." In accordance with this mission, it's time for the OCDC to take a formal, public stand against businesses peddling sick, dying crabs in crowded, filthy cages to unknowing tourists on its boardwalk

Please join Sam by contacting the Development Corporation TODAY and urge it to make a statement against this cruel industry in its city! Click here to submit a quick comment using our sample below or your own polite message. Don't forget to email us at contact@plightofthehermies.org with any response you get. Thank you for your compassion!

SAMPLE EMAIL:

Hi, my name is ____ and I'm writing as a concerned consumer to urge you to take a formal, public stance against the sale of hermit crabs by stores like Sunsations on your boardwalk. Sunsations was recently exposed on video with filthy conditions, including broken claws littering cage floors--and one hermit crab was even found dead. Hermit crabs are delicate wild animals who are ripped from the seashore to be sold in tiny cages, where they will perish in months instead of their 30-year lifespan. I urge you to uphold your mission of creating a "safe and attractive" environment in Ocean City by encouraging Sunsations and other stores in your jurisdiction to immediately stop selling hermit crabs. Thank you.