Not tested on animals!! Where to find cruelty-free products
In our December 2013 newsletter we shared an article on why testing products on animals is unnecessary. As well as using animals in the development of drugs, millions of animals are used to test skin care products, cosmetics and general cleaning products. Often we simply purchase products from habit, but should we challenge ourselves with the question: When alternative methods of testing are available, is it ethical to poison, burn, maim and kill animals in laboratories causing them unimaginable pain, fear and loneliness?
Not only are animal tests cruel, they are completely unnecessary. The majority of ingredients commonly used in household cleaners or cosmetics have been safety tested years ago. And the differences in animal physiology means that even brand new ingredients can't be accurately tested for human safety on anything other than humans.
My favourite brand of shampoos and body washes proudly announces that they are TESTED ONLY ON PARTY ANIMALS, that is, humans. Finding products that are not tested on animals can take some searching because the major multi-national companies that produce our everyday personal and household cleaning products, such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Colgate/Palmolive, continue to test ingredients or products on animals.
Even if animal testing does not take place in your country, you may unwittingly be buying imported products at the supermarket that have been needlessly tested on animals. However, there are numbers of small companies in most countries that produce ethical products. It’s just a matter of finding them!
If you are like me and looking for cruelty-free products, then you’ll find some helpful advice below.
Look for accredited products
One of the easiest ways in which you can be confident that your choices are genuinely cruelty-free is to look for an accreditation logo. These generally take the form of a bunny.
Once certified as cruelty-free by an accrediting organisation, companies have the opportunity to be licensed to use the cruelty-free logo on product labels and promotional materials.
Many of these products have the added bonus of not using ingredients derived from animals.
Visit the websites of organisations promoting the rights and welfare of animals
More than 1,300 companies refuse to harm any animals for their products anywhere in the world. You can show your support for compassionate, cruelty-free companies by using PETA’s brand-new global Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide every time you shop. You can order one from their website: http://www.peta.org/living/beauty/order-cruelty-free-shopping-guide/
Alternatively, use their site to search for cruelty-free companies or particular products. Go to: http://features.peta.org/cruelty-free-company-search/index.aspx
All companies that are included on PETA's cruelty-free list have signed PETA's statement of assurance or submitted a statement verifying that neither they nor their ingredient suppliers conduct, commission, or pay for any tests on animals for ingredients, formulations, or finished products.
Choose Cruelty-free is another organisation that accredits companies producing cruelty-free products. See their website for a list of ethical products:
http://www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au/cruelty-free-list/
United Kingdom based organisation, Cruelty-Free International provides an on-line search facility that enables visitors to their site to identify accredited products that are available in their particular country. Go to:http://www.gocrueltyfree.org/consumer
It only lists products accredited by Cruelty-Free International, so you may need to look for a cruelty-free organisation in your own country to get a more complete list of products available to you.
