Over some time, I’ve done my best to educate myself on the actual welfare of animals in our country. Much of what bewilders me is how little people know about animal welfare outside of the food industry. And the most disturbing is the amount of companies that continue to test their products on animals.
But I have to be honest, I never really thought of it in the past. It’s not something that most people keep in the back of their head, which is understandable (yet also the problem). When my skin is hating me because it’s so dry, I usually just rush to the store and buy a moisturizer that usually works well for me. I never think of the consequences of that kind of convienance.
Though a couple of months ago, I had decided to watch a documentary regarding animal welfare on a day that I had run out of shampoo. So naturally, off to Walmart I went to replace it. And, as corny as it sounds, the moment I began to scan the shelves I got to thinking: I wonder how many of these products actually test on animals. I couldn’t get it out of my head. The possibility that my skin products could have been experimented on a rat or rabbit kept me from making any purchase at all that day. I got into my car, whipped out my phone and did some quick research in the parking lot (Walmart parking lot research sounds legitimate, doesn’t it?).
Not only did I find that the majority of my regular products tested on animals, but the majority of products sold and advertised have also been. What’s even crazier is the fact that animal testing isn’t even legally required in most cases in the United States as opposed to countries like China.
Come on, America…what’s the deal? With technology nowadays, alternatives to animal testing are economically feasible and possible. According to the HumaneSociety.org, “First, companies can use ingredients that are already known to be safe, of which there are thousands. These ingredients have been safely used for decades or have been tested in the past and don’t require new testing. This is how so many socially conscious companies have been able to swear off animal testing. Secondly, companies can use non-animal tests that are already available or invest in the development of new non-animal methods.”
So as an endeavor to spread some awareness, I compiled a list of products that are familiar to most and can be found downtown. Please be aware that there are MANY other companies that also avoid animal testing. You can find the complete list here.
If you’d like to see if your favorite brands test, you can do some research on the updated list here!