Canada Takes A Compassionate Step Forward With Cruelty Free Cosmetics Act

If Senate Bill S-214 is passed, it will prohibit cosmetic animal testing in Canada as well as the sale of any cosmetic products or ingredients that have been newly tested on animals anywhere in the world. This is incredible.

The legislation was spearheaded by Senator Carolyn Stewart Olsen, who has been in consultation with Humane Society International and Animal Alliance of Canada as part #BeCrueltyFree, the largest campaign in history to end cosmetic and other forms of animal testing across the globe Sen. Stewart Olsen stated: “I am so happy to see such an important bill so close to becoming legislation. It’s inspiring, in that there’s nothing partisan about trying to prevent needless animal suffering in the name of beauty. It’s my hope that the Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act will transcend partisan politics and receive the support it deserves.” Shockingly, in Canada alone over 250,000,000 animals are killed each year for animal testing purposes. And methods of testing include: forced chemical exposure, oral force feeding, skin and muscle injections, physical restraint, food and water deprivation, surgical procedures, infliction of wounds and burns, and manipulations to create animal models of human diseases ranging from cancer to stroke and depression, amongst many others. If this isn’t bad enough, many of these tests are completely unnecessary in this day and age. For all those who believe that it is necessary to test on animals such as mice, rats, rabbits, beagles, fish, guinea pigs, and primates in order to ensure that the products being tested for humans are safe — think again. Animal testing is a practice that has been going on for decades and there are currently over 10,000 products and chemicals that have already been determined as safe for humans. Yes, products are changing as humans evolve, but in that case there are alternative methods of testing that can be used; for example, skin corrosivity and irritation can easily be measured using three-dimensional human skin equivalent systems, stem cell and genetic testing methods, or micro-dosing on willing participants. And that’s not to mention the abundance of natural ingredients we already have at our disposal and the countless recipes available on the internet for making our own cosmetic, personal care, and cleaning products. Sign this petition to say that you do not support animal testing and want to see more ethical, humane practices put in place. Be sure to avoid companies that are currently still testing on animals. It is somewhat mind boggling to note that there is no Canadian law which requires animal testing to ensure a product’s safety — this is a practice which companies engage in voluntarily. But the alternate side to this is that there are no laws in place that protect animals from testing, either. Choose cruelty-free products; just read the label on the back of your products – cosmetic, personal care, and cleaning — and be on the lookout for one of the following 3 symbols. Spread the word! The first step towards real change on this planet is awareness. Much Love .

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References:

• http://www.hsi.org/world/canada/news/releases/2015/12/canada-cruelty-free-cosmetics-act-121015.html?referrer=https://www.google.ca/
• http://liberationbc.org/issues/animal_testing
• https://www.change.org/p/the-honorable-rona-ambrose-p-c-m-p-minister-of-health-ministre-de-la-sant%C3%A9-end-animal-testing-for-cosmetics-in-canada-by-december-2015-suppression-des-exp%C3%A9rimentations-animales-dans-l-industrie-cosm%C3%A9tique-en-d%C3%A9cembre-2015