There's nothing pretty about animal testing, and Congress needs to know that
using animals to test cosmetics is unnecessary and wrong. So, AAVS has sent
every member of the House of Representatives a copy of our "Cruelty-free Cosmetics: the face of the future" issue of the
AV Magazine and other important information to help garner support for
the Humane Cosmetics Act (HCA). If passed, HCA will prohibit the use of animals to test cosmetics, as well as
the sale of animal tested cosmetics.
Why say YES to humane cosmetics?
This One Horrifying Fact is Exactly Why We Need to End Animal Testing. The efficacy of animal testing has been the center of much debate in the past few decades. In the world of cosmetics, the need for live animal tests has become rather outdated, the fact is in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration does not even require it for cosmetic products and the compounds used in most products have been used and tested for years now. Many cosmetic companies have taken action to end animal testing in their lines, but things aren’t so clear cut in the world of pharmaceuticals. Although there is real evidence that animal trials do not yield accurate results that can definitely rule out whether or not a chemical is safe for human consumption, and there are new technologies that can test a product’s safety without animals, we continue to subject countless animals to testing.
Beagles are a favorite in the pharmaceutical industry because of their docile nature and gentle demeanor. Many people are shocked to learn animals other than mice or rabbits are used for experimental testing, but the fact is, 70,000 and 75,000 dogs are used for research in the United States each year and the majority of these are beagles. These dogs are forced to live in concrete cages and never allowed to really be dogs. Some labs even remove the dogs’ voiceboxes to keep them quiet. But apparently, this is hardly the only form of cruel and unusual treatment these animals experience.
Beagle Freedom Project recently posted a photo on Facebook with the caption, “The University Of Illinois euthanizes beagles if they don’t cooperate while being put into restraining jackets because of their fear!”
It is heartbreaking that these animals are even subjected to tests, let alone that they receive this sort of cruel treatment. Thankfully, Beagle Freedom Project is working tirelessly to secure a better future for lab beagles and all other animals. Beagle Freedom Project is currently suing the University of Illinois for misleading the state General Assembly about its animal testing procedures and you can help them by making a donation.
No animal deserves to suffer when much more effective technology is available. Share this post and encourages others to as well to garner as much support for Beagle Freedom Project as possible. We can all also work to end this cruel practice by looking for products that have a “cruelty-free” label, which signifies products were made without the use of animal tests. The more interest consumers show in cruelty-free products, the more likely that brands and companies will opt to create items that do not involve this outdated practice.
To learn more about Beagle Freedom Project and their work, click here. Image source: Beagle Freedom Project/Facebook
Every year, the U.S. military uses thousands of animals in combat trauma training courses. In a typical course, goats or pigs are shot and stabbed before being killed. But there are better ways to teach military first responders—and pressure is mounting on the Department of Defense to end the practice.
Please help us keep the pressure on: Call the U.S. senators for New Jersey today to ask that they co-sponsor S. 587, the BEST Practices Act, which would replace animal use.
Senator Cory A. Booker - 202-224-3224
Senator Robert Menendez - 202-224-4744
When you call, use these talking points:
I'm a constituent. I'm calling to ask that Senator [Last Name] co-sponsor S. 587, the BEST Practices Act.
This bill would reduce spending, modernize military medical training, and save animals.
After you call, please send an e-mail to your senators as well.
Just last month, the New York Times editorial board called for an end to this animal use. Citing the Physicians Committee's national survey of nonmilitary programs, the editorial board wrote: "The vast majority of programs in the United States that train civilian medical workers in trauma care use simulators exclusively. There's no reason the Pentagon should continue inflicting cruelty on animals."
In addition, in June, 71 members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote to the Secretary of Defense demanding answers to important questions about the military’s ongoing animal-based courses.
There is more pressure on the Department of Defense now than at any other time since the Physicians Committee first worked to introduce the BEST Practices Act.
Why say YES to humane cosmetics?
- Animal testing is unnecessary. There's no law requiring companies to test cosmetics on animals.
- Animals should not suffer. Typical tests to assess eye and skin irritation can cause severe discomfort, pain, and even death.
- There are humane alternatives. Non-animal methods to assess product safety exist, produce reliable data, and are internationally accepted.
- Public support. Two-thirds of Americans oppose the use of animals to test cosmetics.
This One Horrifying Fact is Exactly Why We Need to End Animal Testing. The efficacy of animal testing has been the center of much debate in the past few decades. In the world of cosmetics, the need for live animal tests has become rather outdated, the fact is in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration does not even require it for cosmetic products and the compounds used in most products have been used and tested for years now. Many cosmetic companies have taken action to end animal testing in their lines, but things aren’t so clear cut in the world of pharmaceuticals. Although there is real evidence that animal trials do not yield accurate results that can definitely rule out whether or not a chemical is safe for human consumption, and there are new technologies that can test a product’s safety without animals, we continue to subject countless animals to testing.
Beagles are a favorite in the pharmaceutical industry because of their docile nature and gentle demeanor. Many people are shocked to learn animals other than mice or rabbits are used for experimental testing, but the fact is, 70,000 and 75,000 dogs are used for research in the United States each year and the majority of these are beagles. These dogs are forced to live in concrete cages and never allowed to really be dogs. Some labs even remove the dogs’ voiceboxes to keep them quiet. But apparently, this is hardly the only form of cruel and unusual treatment these animals experience.
Beagle Freedom Project recently posted a photo on Facebook with the caption, “The University Of Illinois euthanizes beagles if they don’t cooperate while being put into restraining jackets because of their fear!”
No animal deserves to suffer when much more effective technology is available. Share this post and encourages others to as well to garner as much support for Beagle Freedom Project as possible. We can all also work to end this cruel practice by looking for products that have a “cruelty-free” label, which signifies products were made without the use of animal tests. The more interest consumers show in cruelty-free products, the more likely that brands and companies will opt to create items that do not involve this outdated practice.
To learn more about Beagle Freedom Project and their work, click here. Image source: Beagle Freedom Project/Facebook
Every year, the U.S. military uses thousands of animals in combat trauma training courses. In a typical course, goats or pigs are shot and stabbed before being killed. But there are better ways to teach military first responders—and pressure is mounting on the Department of Defense to end the practice.
Please help us keep the pressure on: Call the U.S. senators for New Jersey today to ask that they co-sponsor S. 587, the BEST Practices Act, which would replace animal use.
Senator Cory A. Booker - 202-224-3224
Senator Robert Menendez - 202-224-4744
When you call, use these talking points:
I'm a constituent. I'm calling to ask that Senator [Last Name] co-sponsor S. 587, the BEST Practices Act.
This bill would reduce spending, modernize military medical training, and save animals.
After you call, please send an e-mail to your senators as well.
Just last month, the New York Times editorial board called for an end to this animal use. Citing the Physicians Committee's national survey of nonmilitary programs, the editorial board wrote: "The vast majority of programs in the United States that train civilian medical workers in trauma care use simulators exclusively. There's no reason the Pentagon should continue inflicting cruelty on animals."
In addition, in June, 71 members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote to the Secretary of Defense demanding answers to important questions about the military’s ongoing animal-based courses.
There is more pressure on the Department of Defense now than at any other time since the Physicians Committee first worked to introduce the BEST Practices Act.
 |
$200,000 Awarded for Alternatives DevelopmentAAVS's affiliate, the Alternatives Research & Development Foundation (ARDF) recently announced the recipients of its 2016 grant awards. These studies include the development of alternatives to test the effectiveness of new drugs and models made of human cells that can replace the use of animals to study cancer.READ MORE → |
 |
No Live Animals for Surgery TrainingThe last two medical schools in the U.S. to use live animals in surgical training, Johns Hopkins University Medical School and the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, have announced an end to this controversial practice. Like other med schools, they will rely on alternatives like high-tech simulators.READ MORE → |
 |
20 Years After Dolly, Pet Cloning PointlessProfessor Sir Ian Wilmut, the scientist who 'created' Dolly, the first mammal to be cloned, discourages pet cloning. He says that it's impossible to clone a personality and that there is no guarantee that the new animal will look the original.READ MORE → |
 |
4.14 Million Experiments on Animals Were Carried Out in Britain Last Year. Why?
The
Home Office has just released its annual statistics on the number of scientific
procedures performed on animals in Britain last year. They make for shocking
reading.
Read more |