Animal Testing

One of my favorite animal rights movies is Legally Blonde. Not only is the main character, Elle Woods, very fashion forward but she is compassionate for animals, especially for her Chihuahua, Bruiser. When Elle finds out Bruiser’s mother is being used in an animal testing facility, she marches up Capitol Hill and takes action to end animal testing on cosmetic products.

With State Representative Jason Mumpower in front of Tennessee State Capitol Building, Nashville, TN.

I applaud the movie for revealing the truth about animal testing. Not only does it endanger innocent animals, but taxpayers are dishing out $16 million annually to fund this cruel research. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that there are well over 100 million animals being used to test products.

Test animals include mice, rats, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, pigs, sheep, dogs, monkeys and chimpanzees, cats, frogs, and fish. Virtually all are killed in the process.

This is extremely unfortunate and heart breaking. Luckily, there is a way to fight back against these researchers! Thanks to the Leaping Bunny Program companies are held to a cruelty-free standard and the internationally recognized Leaping Bunny Logo helps consumers easily recognize companies producing cosmetic, personal care, and household products that are cruelty-free.

Even though a product may be designated as “cruelty-free” or “not tested on animals,” or even the image of a bunny on a label, it may only refer to the finished product. Most animal testing occurs at the ingredient level! In order to assure that no new animal testing is used in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories, or suppliers, check the label to see if the Leaping Bunny logo is present.

Companies such as Arbonne and Burt’s Bees are certified by the Leaping Bunny! Furthermore, Allergan has developed—and received federal approval for—a new procedure that avoids using animals in testing this product. The company expects the new method to reduce animal use in testing their products by 95 percent within three years!


Check out www.LeapingBunny.org to view a complete list of cruelty-free companies on their Compassionate Shopping Guide. We can end animal testing-one shopping trip at time!


Jurnee Carr