Save Ralph is a short film that focuses on a rabbit who works in a laboratory to get tested for cosmetics products. The short film is about 4 minutes long and released by Humane Society International on April 6th, 2021. In this short film, a rabbit named Ralph explains his job and the injuries that are left on his body which are caused by the cruel experiments he’s put through.
The short film begins in Ralph’s house, with him already being blind in one eye and partially deaf in one ear. As he speaks about his job, he mentions the chemical burns all around his back and how much it hurts to breathe. After mentioning his injuries, he states, “but at the end of the day, it’s okay because we do it for the humans, right? They’re far superior to us animals. They’ve even been to space. Have you ever seen a rabbit in a rocket ship?”
Next, Ralph goes on to explain how he isn’t a space bunny, instead, he’s a tester. He then lists his whole family, including his children who were also experimented on and unfortunately died in the process of doing so. However, Ralph quickly said “They died doing their job though, just like I will. But that’s okay. Testing is what we’re born to do. It makes us rabbits happy.” He finished his sentence with a long sigh and teary eyes.
It breaks my heart hearing that Ralph’s family and children passed away due to being experimented on in laboratories. What also breaks my heart is hearing Ralph justify their death by saying, “It’s okay, they died doing their job. Testing is what we’re born to do. It makes us rabbits happy”.
About 500,000 animals suffer and die worldwide every year in cosmetic tests, which is stated by The Humane Society of the United States.
Rabbits and other small animals shouldn’t be suffering in laboratories for products. That also shouldn’t be their job, to begin with. They shouldn’t be forced to take in harmful chemicals that’ll cause them death. They should all be roaming around a field, living a normal rabbit life.
I just can’t believe animal testing is still being condoned to this day when there are other alternatives available. The Humane Society of the United States also states, “modern testing products, which include human cell-based tests and sophisticated computer models, have replaced outdated animal tests with new non-animal methods that are faster, less expensive, and more reliable”. Animal testing is completely inhumane and from the looks of it, very unnecessary, so why is it still done?
The final few scenes in the short film Save Ralph are what left me heartbroken because you get a glimpse of what Ralph and other small animals experience when being tested on.
Near the end, it takes place in a laboratory, where Ralph is placed on a plastic container that closes around his neck to prevent him from moving. Ralph’s rabbit friends were also there and they noticed a camera crew recording Ralph, so his friends quickly begged for help in hopes to get rescued. Just after they plead for help, Ralph is injected with an unknown liquid in his right eye, the only eye he was able to see with.
In the end, Ralph is left completely blind, with an open wound in his back, missing fur and wearing a neck brace. He ends the mini-documentary by explaining, if it wasn’t for animal testing, then he wouldn’t have a job, he’d be homeless and forced to be in a field, like a normal rabbit. The video finally ends with him having his thumb up, saying “it’s all good,” but with an overall worried facial expression left on his face.
For more information about the #SaveRalph campaign and what you could do to help, be sure to visit The Humane Society International.
Once the short film ended, I began to feel emotional about the topic of animal cruelty because I have a pet rabbit, and just watching this upsets me because these little animals shouldn’t be suffering, especially since it’s very cruel and not even effective. The Humane Society of the United States mentions that “95% of drugs tested on animals ultimately fail in human trials, according to the National Institutes of Health”.
(Alternatives to animal testing.)
Cruelty-free means no animal testing was done while the product was being developed. There shouldn’t be any animal having to suffer for cosmetics and beauty products. However, there are cruelty-free brands we can use to help save animals that are constantly put into so much pain due to inhumane experiments.
(List of cruelty-free brands.)
How Can You Help
You could make a difference in various ways by volunteering to rescue animals, with donations, signing petitions and simply supporting cruelty-free cosmetics. The Humane Society of the United States also works on helping end animal cruelty and provides resources on what you can do to help!
No animal should have to suffer for cosmetics and beauty products! Animal testing is sadistic and needs to end now. However, it’s to up us to take action and make a difference to save these animals. Their lives are just as important as ours! #BeCrueltyFree #SaveRalph