WORKING TOGETHER AGAINST THE USE OF ANIMALS IN COSMETICS TESTING
Looking after yourself and others
I truly believe that we shape our future. It is in our power to create the conditions in which we will bequeath our children, their children and grandchildren. Every action we take has consequences. And in most cases we will not see them now, in 5 or 10 years' time. It will be future generations who will experience them first-hand.
That's why the Vegan Fox brand was born. To give people the opportunity to take care of themselves, while keeping sustainability in mind and caring for others, including the environment and animals. Why am I talking about this?
In many parts of the world, caring for the living and basic respect for animals are not at the top of people's priorities. Although the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients on animals was already banned in 2013 in the Member States of the European Union, a number of institutions and organisations still manage to interpret this requirement in their own way and avoid it.
Shockingly and sadly, many medicines, cosmetics and other products are still being developed, cruelly taking advantage of man's power over helpless creatures. To reignite the debate and put an end to animal experimentation by some in the beauty industry, a European citizens' initiative is collecting signatures until 31 August. It calls for a reinforced ban on the use of animals for cosmetics testing in Europe, a reform of the EU Chemicals Regulation and a modernisation of science at EU level.
Animal testing of cosmetics - a cruel sacrifice for beauty
This is not a comfortable topic. It is certainly not pleasant to read about. And sometimes it is even hard to understand how, in a modern society, there is still a need to communicate about it. And yet, the world of external beauty does indeed tend to be cultivated today at the expense of the lives and health of innocent creatures.
Animals endure the most unimaginable torture when testing cosmetics and their raw materials. Cosmetics and their raw materials are most often tested on rats, rabbits, mice and guinea pigs. Most of the testing involves chemicals being forcibly dripped into the eyes, nose and throat. Innocent creatures often become addicted to drugs, stunned, blind or infected with viruses during the testing process. In their helplessness, the animals are forced to ingest and inhale toxic substances. They are completely mutilated, both physically and mentally, during testing.
Animals, like all living creatures, deserve to be treated with dignity and ethics. But instead, an average of 500 000 animals worldwide suffer and die every year in the cosmetics industry. However, if an animal is still alive during testing, in most cases it is euthanised so that further organ research and analysis of the effects of the chemical can be carried out.
3 ways to stand up for animal rights and ethical cosmetics
Many people reading this may be thinking - what about me? How can I, alone, break this injustice? The answer is simple. It may not be in your power alone. But imagine if each of us thought like that? How much public engagement would we lose? There is so much you can do:
1) Only buy cosmetics whose ingredients and end products are not tested on animals (can be labelled vegan or cruelty free);
2) Donate to animal rightsorganisations;
3) Sign the European Citizens' Initiative.
I believe that silence really is consent. By being silent about any injustice, by not taking sides, we are in a sense supporting it. And I sincerely wish to live in a world where every life has value.
And it's not just about how we respond to this injustice. I have long understood that our children blindly follow our example. We can tell them how to do better. We can teach their righteousness. But the best way to pass on values to the next generation is by example.
And I would like to believe that future generations will learn from the mistakes of previous generations. That's why I am showing by example how to protect the weakest. How to stand up for what is right. And how to stand up for the values of today and tomorrow.
In Love,
Maija no Vegan Fox