Animal Testing Protests

http://us.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2009/04/22/vo.anti.animal.testing.cnn

This is a video of protesting against animal testing. I think it is very good that people are going out and protesting for what they believe. Protesting for animals is a very good cause and this video it shows the cruelty of animal testing. Animal testing protesting has happened for many years. "The mid-twentieth century through to the 1980s saw a strong focus on protests against cosmetics testing. Large companies such as Revlon and Avon were targeted, with both eventually abandoning animal testing and adopting strong anti-animal testing policies. The abundance of media attention and protests also led up to the banning of animal testing for cosmetics purposes in several countries, including the United Kingdom (UK). In fact, the European Union is now poised for a near-full ban on animal testing for cosmetics by 2009, although there is opposition from a small number of countries such as France" (http://www.aboutanimaltesting.co.uk/history-protests-against-animal-tests.html). America still has cosmetic companies that continue to test on animals. Protests ARE effective. According to the article, History of Protests Against Animal Test, "Protests against animal testing have actually kept companies from conducting research in the UK. Fear of threats, intimidation and disruption to the research has had an enormous impact on those who conduct animal testing, historically causing some to withdraw from the experiment and effectively 'give in' to the threats" (http://www.aboutanimaltesting.co.uk/history-protests-against-animal-tests.html). If it can happen the UK, it can happen in the US.

http://www.polyp.org.uk/cartoons/misc/polyp_cartoon_Animal_Testing_Cosmetics_Rabbit.jpg
This cartoon demonstrates how it feels for an animal to be tested on. They don't care that they might have shinier fur after or that their lips are a beautiful shade of pink. What they do care about is the absolute pain and torture they have to go through when being tested. "Every year, millions of animals suffer and die in . . .tests to determine the 'safety' of cosmetics and household products. Substances ranging from eye shadow and soap to furniture polish and oven cleaner are tested on rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, dogs, and other animals, despite the fact that test results do not help prevent or treat human illness or injury" (http://www.mercyforanimals.org/cosmetic_testing.asp). Its not fair to animals; why should they be tested for our safety, not theirs? Animals should be treated better. After all it is a crime for people to abuse their pets, but why isn't it a crime to test cosmetics on animals when its basically the same thing? "Many household products and cosmetics companies still pump their products into animals' stomachs, rub them onto their skin, squirt them into their eyes, or force animals to inhale them as aerosol sprays"(http://www.peta.org/actioncenter/testing.asp). Its pretty much the same thing and can also cause death. It is not fair to the animals that have to go through the test. Its not right to do testing on humans but what makes it even better to do it to animals?

Alternatives to Cosmetic testing on Animals

"Non-animal testing methods that are more reliable and less expensive have been developed. These make use of cell and skin tissue cultures, corneas from eye banks, and sophisticated computer and mathematical models. Some companies avoid testing altogether by using non-toxic natural ingredients or those that have already been safety-approved by the Cosmetics, Toiletry and Fragrance Association. As Gordon Baxter, co founder of Pharmagene Laboratories, which uses only computers and human tissues to create and test drugs once said, “If you have information on human genes, what’s the point of going back to animals?”" (Facts: Cosmetic Testing). http://www.idausa.org/facts/costesting.html

So why test on animals?
There are many alternatives to cosmetic testing on animals including synthetic skin, computer modeling, and corneas(as said above). Many successful cosmetic companies today do NOT test on animals and still produce safe products. There is no reason to continue torturing animals when there are effective alternatives to animal testing. Its not fun for the animals to be tested on, they are not thankful for the soft fur they might get if the product is successful. PETA(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) say, "that experimenting on and killing animals for research is unethical, cruel and unnecessary. . .that it is wrong to subject animals to suffering and death for any reason, including that of furthering scientific knowledge" ("Animal Testing." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 1 Sept. 2000. Web. 7 June 2010). Please help reduce the animal testing by buying products that do not test on animals!

Cosmetic Companies that DO NOT test on Animals

Here is a list of some cosmetic companies that are cruelty-free and don't test their products on animals.

• Affordable Mineral Makeup
• Almay
• Bath and Body Works
• Burt's Bees
• E.L.F Cosmetics
• Estée Lauder
• H2O Plus
• Hard Candy
• InStyle Studio Corp
• LA Minerals
• M.A.C Cosmetics
• Mary Kay
• Nordstrom Cosmetics
• OPI Products
• Revlon
• Tyra Skin Care
• Urban Decay
• Victoria Secret
• Wet N Wild
• Zia Natural Skin Care
  
  To see more products that don't test on animals go to:
  http://shopcrueltyfree.peta2.com/cruelty_free_companies_search.aspx?Donottest=-1&Product=Cat_5&Dotest=-1