It’s funny how we go about our lives and not give a second thought as to the products we buy.  We see commercials and they tell us how great their items are and if we so choose, we buy their products.  So this is the way it goes.  

The reason for this article is I would like everyone to start taking a little time to realize that a good portion of products in your home are used to test on animals.  The more I research, the more it pains me to see the animals that suffer at the hands of these companies.  I will be the first to admit, GUILTY as charged.  I have products in my home that have surprised me to find that the parent company test on animals.  I am changing.  I am committed to replace any products I need to buy with a product that DOES NOT test on animals. 

I think if we all take little steps and start to make the change, it will make a difference.  There are a lot of products out there that do not test on animals.  I will be proactive in sharing these companies with you.

Companies kill millions of animals to test their products. These companies claim they test on animals to establish the safety of their products and ingredients for consumers. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require animal testing for cosmetics, and alternative testing methods are widely available and lead to more reliable results. FDA does require the testing on animals for prescription type drugs and therefore it is legal for pharmaceuticals to test on animals.

Cats, dogs and other small animals are forced into painful testing, even though it is evident that they make unreliable models of human beings.  Thousands of dogs (mainly beagles) have been used to test the safety of agricultural chemicals, industrial substances, food additives and household products. These experiments are carried out by chemical companies and contract research laboratories. Product testing, together with the safety assessment of new drugs, account for most of the experiments 68% being on dogs.

Most experiments on dogs are conducted without any anesthetics. Dogs are most commonly used for toxicity tests and companies rarely use any form of pain relief. This is because experiments can last for weeks or months and, in any case, an anesthetic may interfere with the test substance, so making it even more difficult to make the data relevant to people. Although the findings from safety tests are usually kept secret for commercial reasons, the symptoms and injuries experienced by dogs during drug trials  include vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, shivering, anorexia and hyper-excitement; plus eye, liver, kidney, heart and lung damage, skin and eye burns and of course death.

What Can You Do to Make a Difference: 

For those of us that care about animals, making changes in your purchases will send a message that we will not support these companies.  By buying products that do not conduct unnecessary animal testing, you are voting with your dollar and encouraging ethical capitalism.   REMEMBER, EVERY ACTION COUNTS!

There are some very reputable companies, who manufacture and successfully sell a variety of personal and household products, so why would you support a companies that test on animals when there is no need? 

If you aren’t sure which brands do or don’t, simply by natural & organic, they are freely available in most stores, home-made brands are the best which you can get from any Saturday market. 

So what I’m asking, is let’s all start to make changes (even small) ones to help save the animals we love so much.  

I will provide a list of companies.  PETA does put out a pretty extensive list, but I caution you to do further research if you are not sure.  There are several companies on their list like Mary Kay Cosmetics that I questioned.  So I did further research to find that Mary Kay once did, but in 1989 they stopped testing on animals.  I have a list, but as I replace certain products, I Google that product, i.e., “does Mary Kay test on animals” and you will get your answer.  If you have any questions or comments please fill free to contact me.  

Resource: http://www.iamchangingtheworld.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/iACTw-Companies-that-test-on-Animals.pdf 

Safeway has a small section of cleaning products.  I just purchased Biokleen All Purpose cleaner for at home and at the store.

Fred Meyers in there Health Food Section actually has a good selection of health care products as well.

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