Dear Madam or Mr. President,

Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation,animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. Animals being used in scientific testing is truly a big issue that we need to take action for because it is inhumane, cruel, and just overall, wrong. This topic is extremely important to me because I have a dog, and know there are other puppies just like mine getting treated very poorly. When you have a dog (or any pet) there is a different emotional connection to them than any other. It’s hard not to feel terrible for a helpless creature who is getting injected and smeared with chemicals, and when it’s for our benefit. Although dogs are not the target for animal testing, they are still animals, just like bunnies, mice, guinea pigs, and birds.

Since the mid-1800’s, animal testing has been used in the US and all over the world. In the US alone, over 300,000 animals are used every year to test cosmetics and other products. Products that do se animal testing include: Bobbi Brown, Covergirl, Estée Lauder, Head & Shoulders, L’Oréal, M.A.C., Cosmetics, Mary Kay, Maybelline, Pantene, Revlon, TRESemme, Almay, ChapStick, Clean & Clear, Coppertone, Dove, Johnson & Johnson, Kiehl’s, Listerine, Vaseline , Vicks, Arm & Hammer, Clorox, Comet, Febreze, Glade, Lysol, Tide, and Windex.

A few companies that don’t use animal testing include: Bath and Body Works, Tom’s, Lush, Dermalogica, The Body Shop, Trader Joe’s, and many others, but not as many as companies who do test on animals. This is so out of hand, even pet FOOD companies test on animals.

Some people may say that testing on animals have provided answers and solutions to many life changing and saving treatments and are also similar to humans. On the other hand, now there are alternatives to animals for testing products like sophisticated tests using human cells and tissues (also known as in vitro methods), advanced computer-modeling techniques (often referred to as in silico models), and studies with human volunteers.

A way we can bring awareness to this issue is to start buying cruelty free products. You can usually find this information in small print near the bottom of the product’s container. Also, we can educate people by learning about the issue in schools, through social media, and campaigns. Lastly, we can contribute by making donations to several donations. A few include: Americans for Medical Advancement (AFMA), Animal Justice Project, Animal Liberation Front (ALF), Anti-vivisection Coalition (AVC), Cruelty Free International (CFI), just to name a few. In conclusion, animal testing is a horrible and should be put to a stop.

Mia

Works Cited

@peta. "Alternatives to Animal Testing." PETA. Web. 04 Nov. 2016.

@peta. "These Companies DON'T Test on Animals." PETA. Web. 04 Nov. 2016.

"Cruelty Free International." Changing Policy to End Animal Testing Worldwide. Web. 04 Nov. 2016.