A Canadian Vegan Bought a 23-Pound Lobster Just to Set it Free

King Louie the humongous lobster has been pardoned, thanks to one Canadian woman who bought his freedom.

Alma Lobster Shop in New Brunswick posted photos of the 23-pound lobster being sold online, prompting local media attention. Katie Conklin, a vegan from Nova Scotia, decided to spend 230 Canadian dollars (about $170 USD) and ask for Louie to be set free, CTV reports.

Fisherman Rodney MacDonald obliged on Tuesday, shouting “Thank you Katie!” as he plopped the lobster back into the water.

“It went full circle,” Catherine MacDonald, an owner of the Alma Lobster Shop, told Toronto’s Metro News. MacDonald said Louie could be 100 years old based on his size.

[CTV]

Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now.

Please enter a valid email address.

Sign Up Now

Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME.

You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Thank you!

For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder.

Write to Julia Zorthian at julia.zorthian@time.com.