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Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site

Urge cosmetic companies to stop the practice of animal testing once and for all.


Animal testing in cosmetics is cruel, unnecessary and outdated. Yet, when choosing to develop or use new, untested ingredients in their cosmetic products, some companies still conduct tests on animals to assess the safety of these new ingredients.

The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, regulated by the FDA, prohibits the sale of mislabeled and "adulterated" cosmetics, but does not require that animal tests be conducted to demonstrate that the cosmetics are safe1.

Especially when selling these products in foreign markets, companies must choose to concede to local laws and regulations or stand by basic principles of animal welfare. When antiquated regulations demand animal testing, companies often capitulate rather than lose access to that market and, consequently, those profits.

As a result, more than 115 million animals in the U.S. are exposed to a series of painful tests each year, often resulting in death2.

This practice is both cruel and unnecessary.

Alternatives to animal testing already exist: Humane, safe cosmetics can be created using thousands of existing ingredients, and several non-animal methods are already available to test new ingredients. These advanced scientific technologies are often cheaper, faster and more relevant to humans making them more reliable predictors of safety than archaic animal tests3.

"Animal testing is completely unnecessary," Suzanne LeRoux, founder of One Love Organics. "Like individual food allergies, we can all have different reactions to topicals as well. And a product that has been tested on an animal is not going to have the same result on a person. The practice is outdated and does not guarantee safety. We prefer to use ingredients and products tested on human volunteers, so animal lives and quality of lives can be spared and the products will have a more accurate safety result when used by people. It's a win-win for humans and animals to stop animal testing. Choosing to buy only cruelty-free products can make a huge impact. Voting with your dollar is ultimately what causes larger companies to institute change4."

People have been testing cosmetics products on animals since the Second World War. Since then, science has moved on and public opinion has changed. Yet testing continues. Meanwhile, consumers are shocked to hear that animal testing still happens in cosmetics, claiming the lives of around half a million animals a year. A 2015 Nielsen survey found the "not tested on animals" claim on packaging actually matters more to consumers than any other5.

End animal cruelty now. Urge major cosmetic companies to adopt non-animal testing and pledge to buy only cruelty-free products!

More on this issue:

  1. The Humane Society of the United States (2021), "Cosmetics testing FAQ."
  2. Humane Decisions (2020), "Help End Animal Testing."
  3. The Humane Society of the United States (2021), "End cosmetics testing."
  4. Celia Shatzman, Forbes (26 January 2018), "How You Can Help End Animal Testing In Cosmetics."
  5. Kerry Postlewhite, Reuters Events (14 October 2018), "'Brands can no longer ignore the 8.3 million people who want end to animal testing'."
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The Petition:

To the CEOs of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Procter & Gamble, and Johnson & Johnson:

As corporations with a global reach, you are preeminently positioned to affect positive change throughout the world. By choosing to continue using animal testing methods, however, you choose to perpetuate a cruel and unnecessary practice.

More than 115 million animals pay the price for this practice with their lives every year. And they never had to in the first place.

The reality is animal testing methods are obsolete. There are many different ways to conduct chemical tests that don't harm living beings, like the use of 3D human skin or test tube cells. These modern alternatives are more reliable and less costly.

Put simply, there is no reason for you to continue to harm and kill innocent animals. Many corporations have adopted cruelty-free testing procedures and I urge you to do the same. Until you do, I will not buy any of your products.

Sincerely,

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Updates:

A report by the consumer advocacy group CHOICE reveals just a few of the deceptive practices used to market cosmetics. A broad survey of products found that many corporations employ friendly images and ambiguous language to falsely suggest the product is cruelty-free. Companies tempted by the growing Chinese market (and the promise of profit) must submit samples for animal testing. As the report concludes: "just because they've put a bunny on it, doesn't make it 'cruelty free'."

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