Animal Testing                       

Imagine if you were a tiny bunny cowering in the corner of a cage about to be tested on, how would you feel? There are so many animals including mice, monkeys, dogs, rabbits, cats and birds that are tested on. These are animals that we keep as pets! Imagine if it was your kitten or puppy getting tested on, wouldn’t you want to stop it from happening? We must be the voice for these majestic, beautiful creatures that can’t speak for themselves. Animal testing is a social issue happening all over the world.

Animal testing should stop. According to the company PETA Major corporations and brands like Colgate, Adidas, Tiffany and Co and even Panadol are testing on animals without consumers knowledge. The effect of animal testing is bigger than we think for both humans and animals. There are many alternative options for this, and it is up to us to change our habits. The effects and results are far reaching when you test on an innocent creature who can’t even speak up for itself.

Did you know that 115.3 million animals each year get tested on around the world? This isn’t even counting the 55 million in the United States. Millions of these poor innocent animals suffer and ultimately die, and the statistics are getting worse. According to Cruelty Free International the nine countries who are the guiltiest of testing on animals are USA, Japan, China, Australia, France, Canada, the UK, Germany and Brazil. As Australians we should be ashamed to be on this list. New Zealand one of our closest allies have taken the bold step to make animal testing illegal, so why can’t we follow in their footsteps? Animal testing allegedly started in 300 BC and in most parts of the world is still happening today. Animal testing was started by the Greeks. Aristotle and Erasistratus were two of the first people who performed experiments on living animals. Animal testing “became more evolved in 1859 when the theory of evolution was put forth by Charles Darwin.”Animal Testing Procons. This senseless secret suffering has gone on far too long, and it is time for it to end. We must stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

There are many procedures that scientists use when torturing these animals for our benefit. Some of the procedures they perform on these imprisoned animals include having their heads put in a clamp and then getting the chemicals or products dripped into their eyes, they shave the animals fur off and then apply the product and chemicals onto their skin, which ultimately kill these poor animals. They are forced to spend their whole lives in a cage that is inhumanely small. The worst procedure these enslaved animals go through is called the LD50 test. This is not only used for cosmetics but also medicine.  According to www.answers.com “They use 100 animals and either force down their throats, apply to their skins or inject them with a certain dose of the product. Two weeks later, they count the number of animals that remain alive. If only 50 are left, the test is over LD50 which means the dose that kills half the animals that receive it. (They then kill the rest of the animals.) If half the animals didn't die, they repeat the test with a larger dose, and continue until they find a dose that kills half the animals.” We are forcing these animals to undergo this brutal technique day after day, and for what? All we’re doing is catering to our own selfish wants.

These poor animals are miserable and are suffering every day of their lives. Imagine if you were one of them, how would you feel? Animals from shelters get taken to places where they get tested on, and society doesn’t even realise how severe animal testing is becoming. Have you ever purchased a beauty product and gotten a reaction when you applied it? This is because animals have different skin from us. The testing these scientists conduct on the animals isn’t even doing anything because these animals have a different reaction to the product. What these heartless, money hungry corporations are doing to these beautiful, innocent animals is inhumane and making them suffer. If our nation knew any better, we would be trying to stop this unnecessary practice. Why should animals suffer for the sake of our vanity?

There are many alternatives to animal testing including using human skin prototypes made from real skin cells. There are many companies that don’t test on animals, most notably is the Body Shop. This is probably one of the most popular companies who are trying to stop animal testing. They have successfully petitioned, fundraised and informed society about how horrific animal testing is. There needs to be more companies like this because these kind of companies like the Body Shop are doing something productive about animal testing.  Other companies that don’t test on animals around the world include NYX, L’Oréal, Victoria’s Secret, ELF cosmetics and many more. More alternatives such as Computer Modelling and a method called Micro dosing are also cruelty free (not tested on animals). Micro dosing provides essential information about the safety of an investigational drug and how it is metabolized in people prior to large-scale human trials. This does not mean putting humans at risk but is a procedure that doesn’t harm animals or humans. These companies are an example of a brighter future. There is no excuse why these money hoarding corporations still test on animals, when these alternatives are an option.

Animal testing is a big issue happening internationally and it needs to stop. Corporations are testing on animals without our knowledge. We must stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves. The effects it has on these animals is slowly disintegrating the humanity in us. Each and every one of us in this nation has an opportunity to make a change, but it is up to us to take it. We can raise awareness and bring an end to this devastating issue. We need to be more like the Body Shop, L’Oréal, NYX. The alternatives are there, there is no reason to continue letting these animals suffer for the sake of our vanity. It is essential that we make this drastic change to end animal testing not only for the sake of the animals but for us too.

By signing this petition you can make a change!

By Ava Wynne Stubbings