04/15/21 Because of shampoo they become blind, have skin wounds and are beheaded at the end
Rabbit Ralph in a global campaign to completely ban the testing of cosmetic products on animals
- Touching animated film: Ricky Gervais and Zac Efron cast their vote against the cruelty of testing
When animal testing was banned in the European Union eight years ago, along with the sale of such tested cosmetics, we were all happy because it meant the end of animal testing for beauty. But according to Animal Friends Croatia, the terrified animals continue to suffer as chemicals used in cosmetics are poured down their their throats, dripped into their eyes or poured onto their skin.
"Save Ralph", an impressive animated film by the Humane Society International, warns of this, with a top-notch cast, as part of a global campaign for a final ban on animal testing of cosmetics.
In a four-minute film made in the form of a satirical documentary, rabbit Ralph describes his daily routine as one of many “guinea pigs” in the lab, which are exploited and killed each year during testing of cosmetic products and their ingredients. Created as part of the #SaveRalph global campaign to completely ban animal testing, the animated rabbit was voiced by New Zealand director Taika Waititi, and the rest of the cast includes Ricky Gervais, Zac Efron, Olivia Munn and Tricia Hefler. Director and producer Spencer Susser pointed out that it’s important to make Ralph seem realistic because he represents the myriad of real animals that suffer every day in experiments.
"Ralph is subjected to the so-called Draize test, an extremely cruel test developed more than 70 years ago to assess chemical irritation of the eyes and skin, which is performed without relieving the terrible pain that animals suffer. Today, the test is still used in some countries, although non-animal tests are readily available and provide greater safety for shampoos, hair dyes, deodorants and other products," Animal Friends Croatia point out. They add that due to cosmetics testing, rats are forced to swallow large amounts of the tested chemical in order to determine the dose that causes death or they are force-fed for weeks or months in order to look for signs of general illness or specific health hazards. Some tests are used on hundreds or even thousands of animals to test a single chemical and at the end of the test the animals are killed, usually by suffocation with carbon dioxide gas, breaking of the neck or beheading.
Ending the outdated reliance on animal experiments, the Cosmetics Regulation has encouraged the development of superior non-animal testing methods and set the golden standard for similar initiatives around the world. Nevertheless, cosmetic ingredients are tested on animals under EU industrial chemicals legislation, which requires the testing of ingredients which already have a long history of safe use. The animals in the tests become blind, deaf, full of wounds, and eventually die.
"Although most major cosmetic brands have not tested on animals for years (or even decades) and the practice is now banned in 40 countries, chemical safety legislation requires new animal testing, even in the European Union where such testing should be banned,” Animal Friends Croatia disappointedly remark.
They call on everyone to purchase only vegan cosmetics that have not been tested on animals in order to finally put an end to animal testing of both products and their ingredients.