OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Her name is the result of an online poll. In time, we'll get to know her personality online, and watch her get healthier online. She is a rescue and part of the @howiethecrab platform enjoyed globally.
- Winny is a rescue crab. She was born in the Caribbean, saved from a seafood market - but also too sick to be sold at a pet store.
- About a month after Laura Porter lost Howie, for whom her account is named, she was approached about adopting Winny.
- Porter doesn't encourage others to adopt crabs as pets because they require special diets and habitats. Instead, she asks that followers and fans understand that crabs have feelings - and should not be boiled alive, but killed humanely.
Continue reading for the broadcast transcript of this story.
Born on a farm in Fort Calhoun, this story is not about a treadmill-loving cat named Siren, but another rescue - her sister across the room.
"She's very sweet," Laura Porter said as she gently stroked Winny's shell.
Her life didn't start in Nebraska, but in the Caribbean. She was saved from a seafood market but unable to be sold at a pet store.
"Shell rot, she was underweight, she was weak. She needed a lot, a lot of help, otherwise she was going to pass away," Porter explained of Winny's condition when they first met.
Porter was, perhaps, in the most unique position imaginable. Not a regular pet parent, she's so immersed in crustacean care, she says zoos and aquariums ask her questions.
Part of what she is explains is how diet is key.
Winny loves shrimp and berries. She eats vegetables, cheese and cashews. And this land crab needs water. Porter provides fresh and saltwater.
It hard to miss all of the images of Howie surrounding Winny's tank.
"I got notes from children and everything. I got so much, I can't even display it all. It's like I have bins and bins," Porter smiled.
Things from Australia, the Pacific Islands and more. Howie the Crab captivated hearts worldwide with more than a million followers. She passed away in February.
"Grieving publicly is something I don't recommend to anybody. Just trying to console people that have loved her, too," Porter said of the experience.
Though heartbroken, her advocacy has continued - not just for rainbow crabs like Howie or zombie crabs like Winny, but all crabs. They have feelings, she says, and asks they not be boiled alive.
"Just teaching the world that they're sentient and extremely misunderstood creatures," Porter said of her mission.
She won a Cheer Choice award, which recognizes positive influencers, as an animal advocate.
"What I always tell people is - I find love in the way (crabs) learn to trust. So, when an animal trusts you, I feel like that's enough love for me."
Howie trusted Laura implicitly. Winny is getting there, and yes, wearing hats.
She wears Howie's hand-me-downs and her own - including a frog-inspired, stocking-style cap made by a fan.
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