Press Herald quotes Bayer in article on PETA roadside tombstone proposal

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

August 30, 2018 UMaine in the News

The Portland Press Herald quoted Bob Bayer, the executive director of the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine, in an article on the proposal by the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to install a roadside memorial for the lobsters that died in an Aug. 22 seafood truck rollover on Route 1 in Brunswick. It is estimated that more than 4,500 lobsters died as a result of the crash. The proposed memorial would be a tombstone with an image of a lobster and a memorial message including the words “Try Vegan.” If approved, the memorial could be in place for up to 12 weeks, according to the Press Herald. Research suggests lobsters have nervous systems like those of insects and probably do not feel pain, Bayer said, though he acknowledged there is no definitive conclusion.