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Cruel Beauty: Which Companies Test on Animals?

Published July 9, 2012 in Love For Earthlings, What's New |
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The face cream smells delicious, feels gratifyingly luxurious, and promises to smooth out wrinkles. Best of all, the label reads “No Animal Testing.” Now you can be sure that no animals suffered or died to make this product. Right?

Wrong.

Despite what the label proclaims, this face cream, or any one of its ingredients, could easily have been rubbed into a bunny’s eyes, force-fed down a rat’s throat, or smeared over a guinea pig’s raw skin. Such practices continue at many cosmetic and skincare companies, even as the words “Not tested on animals” appear boldly on the labels.

“Consumers are shocked to learn that millions of animals each year are injected with or forced to inhale or ingest cosmetics. Those animals live in fear and loneliness every minute of their lives,” says Erin Edwards, media liaison for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the animal-rights organization better known as PETA.

Wondering how companies get away with such brazen claims? Well, the label could mean that the company itself do no testing on animals, but instead hires a laboratory to do the dirty work. Or perhaps a company did not perform animal tests on that particular product, but it does on others.

Clairol’s Herbal Essence shampoo label, for example, clearly notes, “Not tested on animals.” Meanwhile, according to PETA, the company continues to conduct animal testing on its other products. Even some companies that advertise their products as natural, organic, or vegan, still use ingredients tested on animals.

Testing may be done by the suppliers, and a company may purchase ingredients with a “don’t ask, don’t tell” philosophy. Or testing may occur by a parent company, so statements on the label may be literally correct to shield the company from public relations problems – yet quite disingenuous, if not downright deceptive.

Reading between the labels

Since the label may not be telling the entire truth about testing, you need to do a certain amount of sleuthing to make sure you choose products that are 100 percent free of animal-tested ingredients (no matter who is doing the testing) and come from companies dedicated to that mission.

The good news? You can have your ethics, beauty indulgences, and an honourable relationship with the animal world – and it is easier to do than even a few years ago. Many more conscientious organizations, manufacturers, spa owners, and consumers have established cruelty-free policies and have taken a stand against unnecessary testing.

PETA has compiled a list of companies that have signed a “Statement of Assurance” that they (and their suppliers) do not and would not test on animals. You will find major brands like Revlon, MAC, Avon, and Estee Lauder on the list, as well as natural favourites such as Kiss My Face and Aubrey Organics. (Download the guide at CaringConsumer.com.) Brand names mentioned in the pages of Alternative Medicine also boast cruelty-free practices.

The guide was started 20 years ago with a wallet-sized pamphlet with only a handful of companies, as part of PETA’s Caring Consumer Project. Today, it has grown to include more than 550 companies that do not animal test their products. Just as importantly, PETA also offers a guide listing companies that do test, including Cover Girl, L’Oreal, Olay, and Max Factor – so you can avoid them.

The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC) in the United States, which uses the Leaping Bunny name and logo, offers an animal-friendly shopping guide and also provides sample letters you can send to companies to urge them to stop animal testing. The coalition requires the companies it lists to prove that neither they, nor their suppliers, will conduct or commission animal tests during any stage of product development.

Power to the animals

Does it disturb you that your skincare and beauty regime may contribute to the pain, suffering, and death of countless animals? It is as simple as buying a different product at the grocery store or the cosmetics counter.

If your favourite brands do not appear on the approved lists, let your dollars do the talking and use the power of the pen. Boycott the products and contact the companies directly. Ask them to clarify their animal-testing policy, and politely encourage them to join PETA’s or Leaping Bunny’s cruelty-free programs.

Selected from Ecorazzi

Top 10 Pet Assistants

Published June 12, 2012 in Love For Earthlings, What's New |
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1. Seeing Eye Guide Dogs

The most publicly familiar pet assistant is the Seeing Eye guide dog. Their training enables visually impaired people to move about safely, and also gives people a greater sense of independence. Guide dog programs originated following World War I to assist impaired veterans in the United States, which led to the establishment of The Seeing Eye in 1929, an organization that is still in operation today.

2. Animal Assisted Therapy

One of the most fundamental advantages of animal assisted therapy (AAT) over other therapeutic modalities is that it provides the patient a much-needed opportunity to give affection as well as receive it. It is this reciprocity — rare among medical therapies — that makes AAT a unique and valuable route to healing.

3. Seizure Alert

Seizure alert dogs have an innate ability to detect the onset of epileptic seizures sometimes hours in advance. Though canine skill in predicting episodes is a medical mystery, it is “a natural instinct, or ability, which some dogs are particularly inclined to act upon … most likely, through its sense of smell, the dog is detecting the chemical and electrical changes within a person’s body caused by seizure activity.”

4. Diabetes Alert

Another incredible skill some dogs have is the ability to detect in advance when a diabetic person is going to suffer from a sudden drop in blood sugar. Unfortunately, like seizure alert dogs, diabetes alert dogs are not covered by medical insurance. But their ability to save lives baffles medical experts…

5. Hearing Dogs

Professionally trained companion dogs for the disabled can be specially trained to help the hearing impaired as well. By signalling people with gentle head-butts or other sensory stimuli, these service dogs provide vital assistance as well as companionship.

6. Service Dogs

It is important to make the distinction between therapy, assistance, and service dogs. Service dogs, by definition, are specially trained to assist people with disabilities, including physical, emotional, and other health impairments. Because service dogs are professional assistants, they are not considered pets. Due to this, service dogs are allowed access to areas that otherwise prohibit pets.

7. Service Dogs for the Mobility Impaired

For people who have a limited range of motion (perhaps due to partial paralysis), a helping paw can help in carrying and retrieving items, or even helping to pull a wheelchair. Different service animals are identified by their ability to assist mobility impaired individuals, which extends to providing support for people with stability and balance issues, as well.

8. Therapeutic Companion Dogs

Therapy dogs differ from service dogs in that they provide comfort and companionship to people with disabilities, or those hindered by illness. Therapy dogs are usually part of a volunteer program that is made up of naturally good-tempered, docile, and friendly house pets. Unlike service dogs that have had specialized training, therapy dogs are not professionally trained; but they are often tested and accredited for therapy.

9. Skilled Companion Dogs

The human animal bond is so strong that the quality of life for those who are isolated or socially challenged is indelibly improved by the presence of a companion pet. Skilled companion dogs are specially trained pets that provide therapeutic affection while assisting in mobility tasks where necessary. Those being assisted includes people affected by autism, Down’s syndrome, and cerebral palsy, all of whom have found themselves the beneficiaries of skilled canine companionship.

10. Facility Dogs

Imagine being bedridden in a hospital or a long-term care facility. The more isolated people feel, the longer it may take for them to recover or respond to treatment. Canines are trained to visit people in facilities such as hospices and hospitals. The clear benefits of therapeutic animal visits have been the focus of medical studies, the results of which were published in the Journal for Gerontology: Medical Sciences in July 2002.
Excerpted from PetMD

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