How can YOU be the voice for future animals?

You can be the voice for future animals by NOT buying from companies that test on animals. Participating in this action will help keep future animals out of testing labs. Buying from companies that are cruelty-free will show companies who still test on animals that we are calling for change. We will not buy from companies that test on animals. 

"When considering the ethical justifiability of animal experiments, we should ask if it is ethically acceptable to deprive humans of resources, opportunity, hope, and even their lives by seeking answers in what may be the wrong place"(Akhatr, 2015). This is what is being asked and done to animals in testing labs. Animals used as testing subjects are confined to a life of needles and experimentation only to result in a 96% failure rate. According to the Food and Drug Administration 96% of animal tests fail to proceed the market. Initially this number was set at 92% but over the last few years this number increased. 

"Evidence demonstrates that critically important physiological and genetic differences between humans and other animals can invalidate the use of animals to study human diseases, treatments, pharmaceuticals, and the like"(Akhatr, 2015). Animal testing simply does not work. Humans and animals differ in many aspects. Humans eat, drink and do as they please in an environment nowhere near similar to the testing labs where animals are confined as testing subjects. Even if the animals in testing labs ate, drank, and did everything a human does genetically we are not very alike. One of the most common testing subjects in laboratories are mice. Mice and humans are said to be similar but "a crucial protein that controls blood sugar in humans is missing in mice"(Akhatr, 2015). 

Stop buying from companies that test on animals. Doing so will allow you to be the voice for future animals who may be deemed to a life in testing labs. These animals cannot speak for themselves and it is up to you and I, and every other consumer of products to BE THEIR VOICE!

References

Akhtar A. (2015). The flaws and human harms of animal experimentation. Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees, 24(4), 407–419. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0963180115000079 

People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals. (2022). Companies that do test on animals. https://crueltyfree.peta.org/companies-do-test/?alpha=A 

People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals. (2022). Companies that do not test on animals. https://crueltyfree.peta.org/companies-dont-test/ 

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People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals. (2022). Companies that do not test on animals. https://crueltyfree.peta.org/companies-dont-test/ 

Why is Animal Testing Not Suitable?

Animal testing is ethnically wrong and incompetent. Less than 10% of trials that pass animal testing pass human trials. This is because humans differ from animals in so many ways there is little to no chance of knowing how these products “deemed fit” will affect humans. In part because “influencing factors such as gender, age, occupation, lifestyle, and disease are not taken into account, which is one of the reasons why only few substances successfully pass the clinical phase” (Strengelin, Thiele, Seiffert, 2022). In reality not much will change if we stop the use of animal testing. Except maybe we will save a couple billion dollars each year.

It costs the United States billions of dollars each year to fund animal testing practices. “From an economic standpoint, animal experiments are resource-intensive (time-consuming and costly) and require skilled labor. For example, drug approval takes 10–15 years” (Strengelin, Thiele, Seiffert, 2022). 

The American Physiological Society (2019) states animals are used as testing subjects because “scientists can control the environment around the animal (diet, temperature, lighting, etc.), which would be difficult to do with people”. But when this drug or product hits human consumption how effective will it be given humans will not be in the same controlled environment? The answer is, it’s not.

“If the results of the animal studies are favorable, human volunteers are asked to take part in a clinical trial” (American Physiological Society, 2019). This is where we see if the drug or product is fit for humans, when testing in humans not in animals. I leave you to ask and answer for yourself two questions. If a drug or product passed animal testing, why wouldn’t it pass human trials if we are so biologically related? Why does 92% of trials fail human trials after passing animal testing? 

References

Akhtar A. (2015). The flaws and human harms of animal experimentation. Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees, 24(4), 407–419. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0963180115000079

American Physiological Society. (2019). Why do Scientist use animals in research?https://www.physiology.org/career/policy-advocacy/animal-research/Why-do-scientists-use-animals-in-research?SSO=Y

Stengelin, Thiele, J., & Seiffert, S. (2022). Multiparametric Material Functionality of Microtissue‐Based In Vitro Models as Alternatives to Animal Testing. Advanced Science, 9(10), e2105319–n/a. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202105319

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World Health Organization. (2022). National bridging workshop. https://extranet.who.int/sph/ihr-pvs-bridging-workshop

 

 

Why choose cruelty-free?

 

Choosing cruelty-free products helps to keep future animals out of testing labs. “More than $16 billions of taxpayer money is spent on animal experimentation by the United States government each year” (Animals Matter, 2022). This money can be easily spent elsewhere in time as we switch to choosing cruelty-free products. This movement starts with you and I for the greater cause of helping to keep future animals out of testing labs. Look for these symbols on your products

There are hundreds if not thousands of cruelty-free brands out there that range from skin care products to makeup brands to household cleaning products. These brands are not hard to find, and some may be even closer than you think! For example, are you a frequent Dove user? If so, you can continue to use their products as Dove is a cruelty-free brand. “Dove one of the world’s most widely available personal care product brands has banned all tests on animals anywhere in the world” (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 2022). 

If you are not familiar with the Dove brand, Dove is an easy to find brand that is in aisles at almost all grocery stores. Dove has multiple hygiene and beauty products suited for all skin types. If you have sensitive skin, Dove has products for sensitive skin. If you have dry skin, Dove offer products for individuals with dry skin as well. Dove also makes products for those with no skin irritations. 

Choosing cruelty-free products can be easier than you may think. This slight change can create big changes for the future to come. Choose cruelty-free and become part of the movement!

References

Animals Matter. (2022). Facts-Laboratory Animals. https://www.animalmatters.org/facts/laboratory/

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. (2022). Dove goes cruelty-free. https://www.peta.org/about-peta/victories/dove-goes-cruelty-free/

Image Sources 

Dove. (2022). Real beauty is cruelty-free. https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/about-dove/no-animal-testing.html#

Sustainable Jungle. (2022). Cruelty Free Vs Vegan: What’s The Difference? https://www.sustainablejungle.com/featured/cruelty-free-vs-vegan/

Would you like to be the voice for someone who cannot speak?

Every second one animal dies in a United States laboratory (Animal Matters, 2022). Humans use these animals as testing subjects for cosmetic products. As a result these animals suffer harmful and painful reactions that have no benefit to anyone. This blog is dedicated to helping concerned individuals find cruelty-free alternatives so that you can BE THEIR VOICE. 

Animal testing is cruel and highly unnecessary since most of the testing does not pass human trials. In fact, “in 2004, the FDA estimated that 92 percent of drugs that pass preclinical tests, including “pivotal” animal tests, fail to proceed to the market” (Akhtar, 2015). This is because humans and animals differ in many ways, it seems as though the two only share the same corresponding feelings: pain and suffrage. 

“More than 100 million animals suffer and die in the U.S. every year in cruel chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics tests” (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 2022). Animals feel just as us humans do. They feel the aching pains of the testing side effects and yet millions of animals are put through it time after time. If humans valued an animal’s life just as they value a human life this blog would not be needed. 

The day these animals verbally agree to be abused and used for testing is the day we can proceed to do so, but that will not happen. These animals need people to speak for them since they cannot do so themselves. These animals need someone to say no for them. We need to begin our solution with our goal in mind and that is to help these animals by choosing to be their voice. 

Be the change and switch to cruelty-free products. Cruelty-free “means that the products, and the ingredients that were used in the product, were not tested on animals at any stage during their development” (Sustainable Jungle, 2022). Some cruelty-free brands to consider are: Covergirl, Herbivore, E.L.F, Glossier, & Wet N Wild.

 

References

Animal Matters. (2022). Facts laboratory animals. https://www.animalmatters.org/facts/laboratory/

Akhtar A. (2015). The flaws and human harms of animal experimentation. Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees, 24(4), 407–419. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0963180115000079 

 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. (2022). Animal testing facts and alternatives. https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/animal-testing-101/ 

 

Sustainable Jungle. (2022). Cruelty Free Vs Vegan: What’s The Difference? https://www.sustainablejungle.com/featured/cruelty-free-vs-vegan/

 Image Sources

Moore, S. (2021, February 25). The ethics of animal models in preclinical testing. https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/The-Ethics-of-Animal-Models-in-Preclinical-Testing.aspx 

Sustainable Jungle. (2022). Cruelty Free Vs Vegan: What’s The Difference? https://www.sustainablejungle.com/featured/cruelty-free-vs-vegan/