Feeling Veggie Good: animal testing

Showing posts with label animal testing. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Animal Testing: What is it and Why Should I Care?

I'm sure a lot of people have heard the terms "animal testing," "tested on animals," etc. but a lot of people probably don't know what those terms really mean. According to Cruelty Free International, animal testing "is any scientific experiment or test in which a live animal is forced to undergo something that is likely to cause them pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm." The most common type of animal testing that consumers are involved in is regulatory testing. So what is regulatory testing? "Regulatory testing is standardised testing designed to see if medicines, chemicals (including paints, dyes, inks, petrol products, solvents, tars and waste materials), cosmetics and other products are safe for use, and that they do their job effectively" (Cruelty Free International). In Regulatory experiments, the animals being tested are forced to inhale or eat certain substances, or have these substances rubbed onto their skin or injected into their bodies. Doesn't sound like much fun, does it?

A lot of people probably think that animal tests are only done on mice, rabbits, or guinea pigs. However, this is not the case. According to PETA, "Each year, more than 100 million animals—including mice, rats, frogs, dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, monkeys, fish, and birds—are killed in U.S. laboratories for biology lessons, medical training, curiosity-driven experimentation, and chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics testing."

Beagles are the most popular breed for animal-testing, because of their friendly, docile, trusting, forgiving, people-pleasing personalities. They are routinely blinded in the testing of shampoo and soap. Think about that in the shower.- quoteslike.com

Think about the products you're using. If they have to be tested on animals, how good are they for you? Some of the benefits of switching to cruelty-free and more organic products are that a lot of them have fewer ingredients and better, more natural ingredients. And that's one reason why animal testing isn't really necessary. There are tons of ingredients out there that we already know and have proven are safe for humans!

In doing research for this blog, I have come across different articles that talk about animal testing and how it is wasteful and unreliable. For example, "Diseases that are artificially induced in animals in a laboratory, whether they be mice or monkeys, are never identical to those that occur naturally in human beings" (PETA). These animals that we use in testing do not have the same biology as us. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the results that come from testing on animals are going to be the same in humans.

Using products that are cruelty-free and non animal tested is where the lifestyle aspect of veganism comes into play. Because veganism isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle. A lifestyle, "which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose" (www.vegansociety.com).

Shopping cruelty-free can be easy! There are logos and websites out there to help you determine which products are cruelty-free, and which are not. You can even find cruelty-free products at Wal-Mart and Target, although bigger stores like Whole Foods carry more cruelty-free products. Check out the websites below to help you shop cruelty-free! And while you're at it, check out our Products & Shopping page to see some of the cruelty-free products we have purchased and are using.

Ethical Elephant Cruelty-Free Kitty

Spare these furry, innocent lives and live cruelty-free!

-- Joy

*Resources used for this blog have been linked to the websites from which they came.*

Monday, August 15, 2016

So, What's Next?

Nearly four and a half months ago Joy and I decided to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle, eating no meat and changing many of the products we use, such as household cleaners and cosmetics, to ones not tested on animals. In mid-May, after watching a few eye-opening documentaries, we started the 30-Day Vegan Challenge. Even before completing the challenge we decided to make veganism our choice for life. On July 31, 2016, we became activists, attending Smithfield Pig Save, our first peaceful protest against the slaughter of animals for food.

So, what's next for us in this new vegan adventure? What is our vision...our passion... as we continue this journey?

For starters, we want to raise awareness of the health benefits of a whole food, plant-dased diet, and continue our fight against rampant and unnecessary animal abuse and cruelty. We want to educate others concerning the harmful environmental effects of factory farming. We want those we know and love to see that there is a more peaceful and compassionate way of feeding our families -- a plant-based way of living that will not only improve our health but also preserve the environment for generations to come. And we want to see animals saved from the atrocities committed against them by those of our own species.

What are our plans for accomplishing these goals? They are simple, really:

Continue educating ourselves so we can put together educational programs to share with others
Volunteer and align ourselves with organizations and individuals who desire to do the same
Attend vegan festivals and advocate for animal rights every chance we get
Continue sharing our journey with friends, loved ones, and folks we've yet to meet, both through our website and in presentations to groups that have an interest in learning more about what it means to be vegan

Would you help us by praying for open doors and by letting others know about our mission and our website? If you know of a group that might be interested in hearing about the health and environmental benefits of a vegan lifestyle, would you please tell them about us?

We're not asking for money. We aren't selling products. But we are seeing great benefits of this lifestyle change -- not just for us, but for our planet and the creatures who share it with us. We believe strongly enough in its benefits that we want to share them with others.

Be an agent of change by joining us on this journey. If you have questions, or if we can encourage you in any way, please email us at feelingveggiegood@gmail.com.

For life...for the animals...for a better world!

Dee Dee and Joy

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Compassionate Cleaning Products

Cleaning bathrooms is not my idea of fun. The thought of scrubbing toilets and tubs with toxic chemicals that leave me gasping for breath, despite my efforts to ventilate my work area, simply doesn't appeal to me. I'd much rather spend my spare time on the weekends breathing the fresh fragrant air outdoors. But as I am learning on this journey, cleaning doesn't have to be cruel -- for me or for the animals on which many of these chemicals are tested to ensure their safety for humans.

As a vegan (or vegetarian) we have many plant-sourced, cruel-free options available for products that are effective at cleaning up our messes without destroying our health, our environment, or the animals who live with us on this planet we call home. Shown below are just a few of the ones we have tried and found to be effective replacements for products we have used for years, to clean everything from dishes to counter tops to toilets and tubs. What a refreshing change to discover that I can thoroughly clean my bathroom now without ingesting a bunch of harsh chemicals!

Ecos All-Purpose Cleaner, Ecos Laundry Detergent, and Green Works All-Purpose Cleaner were all purchased at our local Wal-Mart. I have been very pleased with the performance of each of these plant-based, cruelty-free products.

Seventh Generation Dish Liquid and Dishwasher Detergent Pods were also purchased at Wal-Mart and work as well as any products I've used in the past. The dish liquid has a wonderful fragrance!

Meyer's Toilet Bowl Cleaner, purchased at Farm Fresh, has a delightful scent

and gets the tough job done!

Next time you go shopping for household cleaners and laundry products, look for the Leaping Bunny logo or the words "Not tested on animals." Visit www.leapingbunny.org and www.crueltyfreekitty.com for lists of products not tested on animals. Prepare to be amazed!

For the animals and your good health,

Dee Dee

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