Animal experimentation is one of the darkest practices in science and industry. Until recently, however, it was not considered a practice of animal abuse.
Unfortunately, animals are not only used in cosmetics, medicine and biology, but also in the military, weapons, tobacco and chemical industries in general.
The video of Ralph the bunny is shocking, showing once again the cosmetics industry for animal abuse. Another shocking event was in 1985 when a group of activists rescued the macaque monkey named Britches, or the famous case of the Silver Spring monkeys in 1981, which marked the activism of PETA, denouncing to the world the experimentation with animals in laboratories. And history goes back centuries. However, there is a historical fact that is not very well known: the case of the brown dog, an iconic starting point for today’s activism. Such was its impact that Mark Taiwan was inspired by this event to write “A Dog’s Tale”.
In the case of the cosmetics industry, the use of molecules and petroleum derivatives, products that are synthesized and obviously not known to cause in the skin of humans has generated this experimentation.
This new denunciation of the cosmetics industry should lead us to reflect deeply on what we consume, how it is produced and whether it is even necessary to buy it. The small brands that work with natural cosmetics do not test on animals. Why don’t we do it? We simply don’t need to, we test on our own skin and that of our families. We know it is natural and harmless.
However, we know that skin care is a delicate subject and we do not minimize care. There are people who have allergies to certain plants, hence the importance of clear and direct communication with the consumer.
But the reaction to a chemical product such as wrinkle removal, hair straightening or dyes can be so dangerous that it has been necessary for companies to experiment before. And so animals have been used in greater proportion because they are easy to handle, are cheaper to maintain and take up less space, in addition to certain characteristics similar to humans.
Let’s not forget that until recently it was common, especially among young students usually with economic problems, to obtain certain economic resources by volunteering in laboratories to be tested. Experimentation on humans! In 2006 there was an event that caused a great impact on public opinion.
The controversy will always be there, since before prescribing and marketing any drug or cosmetic, sufficient information must be gathered on how it works and how safe it is.
In reality, it is not fair to test on animals or people, the best thing is to consume consciously. Essentially reduce consumption, be inquisitive about what is not natural and ultimately choose it knowing exactly where it comes from.
These campaigns are painful but necessary, we must strengthen the conscious community every day.