Peter Dinklage joins Cruelty Free International to call for US ban on animal testing

 

Peter Dinklage is photographed for Cruelty Free International, sending an appeal across the U.S. to support the global organization committed to ending cosmetic tests on animals

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Following Europe’s cosmetics animal test ban in March, Emmy and Golden Globe award winning actor Peter Dinklage has become an ambassador for Cruelty Free International to call for an end to cosmetics tests on animals in the USA, as part of the non-profit’s mission to end product testing on animals worldwide.
Peter Dinklage, known for his show-stealing role as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones states: “I am so pleased to support Cruelty Free International and be part of the global campaign to end cosmetics tests on animals. It is unacceptable that animals continue to suffer around the world, including the United States of America, for the sake of beauty. I appeal to the USA to follow the European Union’s lead and end animal testing for cosmetics.”

Peter posed in a Cruelty Free International t-shirt to raise awareness of the continued cruel use of animals to test everyday beauty products and toiletries from soap to toothpaste.

 

Peter Dinklage joins Cruelty Free International celebrity supporters Joss Stone and Global Ambassador Ricky Gervais, who starred in a video launching the global organization last year

 

Animal tests involve rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and rats who can be injected, gassed, force-fed and killed for cosmetics. Animal tests for new cosmetics are now banned in the European Union and in March, new animal tests for every cosmetic product to be sold in Europe were also brought to an end. This significant historical milestone was achieved after over twenty years of campaigning by Cruelty Free International’s founding organization, the BUAV.

 

Peter Dinklage and Cruelty Free International are joining forces to bring about a ban in the U.S., following Europe’s lead and moving the U.S. off the global list of countries that still allow animals to be used in painful and fatal test to develop beauty products.

 

www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/en/around-the-world/usa

350,000 Signatures Collected To Support Animals.

‘White Rabbits’ Deliver Petition To European Commissioner John Dalli Urging EU-Wide Sales Ban on Animal-Tested Cosmetics

Humane Society International and LUSH Cosmetics Collect 350,000 Signatures In Support Of a Cruelty-Free Europe by 2013

Twenty-seven ‘white rabbits’ descended on Brussels to deliver a 350,000-signature petition to John Dalli, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, to help end the suffering of animals used to test cosmetics sold in the European Union. Dressed in white-rabbit costumes, the petitioners, each representing one of the 27 EU Member States, are part of Humane Society International’s campaign to ban the sale of animal-tested cosmetics by 2013.

HSI teamed up with global cosmetics retailer LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics to collect the signatures from consumers eager to see an end to cosmetics cruelty. Celebrities such as Leona Lewis, Ricky Gervais, Ke$ha, Melanie C, Mary McCartney, Chrissie Hynde, Sir Roger Moore, Virginia McKenna and Brigitte Bardot are amongst the petition signatories.

The EU banned animal testing for cosmetics in 2009, but ingredients can still be tested on animals in other countries such as Brazil, China and the United States and then be added to cosmetic products sold in EU shops. A ban on selling these animal-tested cosmetics is due to come into force in March 2013. As the EU is the world’s largest market for cosmetics sales, the ban would create a major financial incentive for cosmetic companies to stop animal testing. However, Commissioner Dalli is considering a proposal that would undermine the ban by giving cosmetics companies a loophole to continue profiting from animal suffering.

“Our rabbits are bringing a heartfelt message to Commissioner Dalli about animal-tested cosmetics sold in Europe: Animals are dying because Europe is buying. We and hundreds of thousands of consumers are calling on EU policy makers to keep their promise to stop the suffering by banning the sale of animal-tested cosmetics in 2013,” said Emily McIvor, EU senior policy adviser for HSI/Europe. “Let’s close Europe’s doors to cosmetics suffering and ensure that the EU goes cruelty-free.”

Humane Society International’s bid to ban animal-tested cosmetics in Europe is part of its global Be Cruelty-Free campaign which aims to end cosmetics animal testing worldwide. LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics supports the campaign and helped to collect petition signatures throughout its EU stores. Representatives of LUSH have written to Commissioner Dalli refuting the case made by some cosmetics companies that the ban would harm commercial interests.

“LUSH is a highly successful global cosmetics retailer making tens of thousands of innovative beauty products each year, sold in 48 countries through our 700 stores, and we have never needed or wanted to test on animals because thousands of ingredients that are already known to be safe are available,” said Hilary Jones, ethics director at LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics. “I cannot imagine why any company anywhere would want to cause animal suffering when making quality, safe, cruelty-free products is so easy. Our customers want to buy cruelty-free cosmetics, and we are delighted to respond to that clear customer demand.”

In cosmetics testing, animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and hamsters are force-fed cosmetic products and ingredients, or have them dripped into their eyes or on to their skin. In some cases, animals are chemically overdosed to the point of death or chemicals are fed to pregnant mothers to see the effect on their unborn babies.

Check out hsi.org/becrueltyfree for campaign news and cruelty-free consumer advice.

X Factor’s Louis Walsh Joins Humane Society International Campaign To End Animal Testing

X Factor’s Louis Walsh Joins Humane Society International Campaign To End Animal Testing for Cosmetics

Star adds name to charity’s 142,000-strong petition

X Factor judge and music manager Louis Walsh is the latest celebrity to speak out against testing cosmetics on animals as part of Humane Society International’s star-studded CrueltyFree2013 campaign.

Louis joins stars such as Leona Lewis, Sir Roger Moore, Ke$ha, Ricky Gervais, Melanie C, Dame Judi Dench and Mary McCartney in signing HSI’s petition to ban the sale of animal-tested cosmetics in Europe. More than 142,000 consumers have also signed the petition. With a ban in place, any cosmetics tested on animals after 2013 would be banned from EU shop shelves.

Louis Walsh said:

“Animal testing is the ugly face of the beauty industry and I want it to stop, now! Animals deserve our respect and compassion, and as they can’t speak up for themselves I’m speaking up for them by signing Humane Society International’s CrueltyFree2013 petition for an end to animal-tested cosmetics. Let’s take the cruelty out of beauty.”

Animal testing for cosmetics is banned across the UK and European Union, but ingredients can still be tested on animals in other countries such as Brazil, China, Canada and the United States and then sold in EU shops. Animals can have chemicals forced down their throat, dripped in their eyes and applied to their skin. Sometimes pregnant females and their unborn babies are exposed to cosmetic chemicals.

A ban on selling these animal-tested cosmetics is due to come into force in March 2013 and would act as a major financial incentive for companies to kick their animal testing habit. However, the European Commission is now considering a proposal that would give cosmetic companies a loophole to continue profiting from animal suffering.

Troy Seidle, director of research & toxicology for HSI/Europe, said:

“It is shameful that in laboratories around the world animals are still suffering to produce new lipsticks and face creams sold in Europe’s shops. So we’re delighted that Louis Walsh has joined Humane Society International in calling for an end to the cruelty. Caring consumers have waited long enough, they want shop shelves to be cruelty-free by 2013 so it’s time for EU policy-makers to honour their pledge.”

HSI supports the international Leaping Bunny cruelty-free standard. Companies that carry the Leaping Bunny logo are subject to independent audits to guarantee no animal testing, and include Urban Decay, Montagne Jeunesse, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and the Co-operative. To shop cruelty-free, download our Leaping Bunny Compassionate Shopping Guide<http://www.leapingbunny.org/images/globalguide.pdf>.

To join Louis and sign the CrueltyFree2013 petition, go to