Don't Be an Animal: Cruelty Free Is The Way to Be

Cruelty Free Is the Way to Be

Animal testing refers to the use of animals in experiments. It is estimated that over 150 million vertebrate animals, including mice, rats, birds, fish, rabbits, guinea pigs, farm animals, dogs, cats and non-human primates, are used annually worldwide. See also statistics compiled by country. Animals are either killed during experiments or subsequently euthanized. The majority of laboratory animals are "purpose bred". A smaller number are wild caught or supplied by class B dealers, who obtain them from auctions, news paper ads and some animal shelters (pound seizure). Animal testing is conducted by universities, government agencies, the military, corporations and contract research organizations (CRO)s, which contract test for industry.

The Facts

1. More than 100 million animals are poisoned, burned, crippled, and abused in other ways in U.S. labs each year.
2. No experiment is illegal, no matter how cruel, irrelevant to human health, redundant, or painful.
3. Ninety five percent of animals used for experiments are excluded from the only federal law offering any sort of protection.
4. Even when valid alternatives to animals are available, the law doesn't require that they be used.
5. Ninety two percent of experimental drugs that are safe and effective in animals fail in human clinical trials because they don't work or are dangerous.

Humane and Effective Alternatives

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, cofounder 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?”

What you can do
Only buy products from companies that don’t test on animals! A comprehensive list is available at www.leapingbunny.org. Encourage your friends and family members to support humane companies, as well.