My name is Anisa Jaffe, a high school senior, and an avid animal lover since childhood. I have always been passionate about animal welfare, which has prompted me to choose animal testing as my topic for my civic action project in my government class. I strive to bring awareness on this topic and encourage people buy cruelty free products.

Worldwide, millions of animals are subjected to barbaric practices in the form of animal testing. In the United States alone, it is estimated that more than 50 million animals are used in experiments each year. Many cosmetic and beauty industries still test on animals, despite the alternative options that continue to become increasingly more available as science advances.

Some of these experiments include rubbing chemicals into the cornea of a rabbits eye, to test for irritation, and the repeated force feeding of chemical substances to mice to test for illness or health hazards. One of the cruelest experiments is the "lethal dose" test, where rats are forced to consume large doses of chemicals until it is determined which dose causes death.

Animals that are tested on receive no pain relief, and are killed at the end of the experiment by means of asphyxiation (deprivation of oxygen), neck-breaking, or decapitation (Humane Society of the United States).

With the holiday season underway, and consumer spending at its peak, it is more crucial than ever that we consider the ethicality of the products we are buying. I urge you to use this Christmas as an opportunity to take a stand against animal testing and choose cruelty free; holiday cheer should never come at the expense of innocent lives.

Your signature can help spread awareness on animal testing and encourage cruelty-free shopping habits, bringing us one step closer to ending animal testing.