Animal testing.

Bodhgaya

I recently was reminded about this; I read that rabbits were used because their eyes didn't have something in it to clean out toxins and such, and I saw that they were caged up and had chemicals splashed into their eyes. This deeply saddens me, I'm sure protesting wouldn't do much, but how do you handle something like that? Or at least deal with knowing something is intentionally put through suffering for beautification products

I apologize for letting anyone know about this if it burdens you.

Jeffrey

You can try to raise consciousness in a non-violent way. Which is what you are doing of course. As far as coping with the extraordinary amounts of suffering I guess just try to feel glad that the rabbit once had a time with its mother however brief when it was warm and happy (I hope). And wish that it could go to a happy place after its death. Even if its just a wish, its a good one.

What do I know?

Mountains

There are plenty of products out there that are certified as being free of animal testing. Many kinds of animals are used in biomedical and commercial product research. None of it is pretty, and none of it is good for the animals. I try to avoid use of such products when and where I can, but it's not really feasible to entirely avoid it in our society.

B5C

Some may disagree, but the only animal testing I would accept is for medical purposes. Millions have been saved because a few rats sacrificed themselves to improve medicine.

Mountains

That's true. Testing in animal models is really the only alternative in many cases to human testing, which in those kinds of cases would be unethical. But you can argue that if it's unethical in humans, it should be unethical in animals. Especially if you're a Buddhist. It's a tough area.

TheUnity

If I could, I would definitely protest. In a bunny suit. With a rabbit. And carrot. And signs. And a boombox playing "Never Gonna Give You Up."

Kartari

Some may disagree, but the only animal testing I would accept is for medical purposes. Millions have been saved because a few rats sacrificed themselves to improve medicine.

That's true. Testing in animal models is really the only alternative in many cases to human testing, which in those kinds of cases would be unethical. But you can argue that if it's unethical in humans, it should be unethical in animals. Especially if you're a Buddhist. It's a tough area.

I'm not medically educated enough to know this for a fact, but I understand that alternatives to animal testing do exist that would be more reliable but also more expensive, so companies tend to go with what's cheap for themselves. This understanding comes from literature I read from PETA many years ago.

bodhipunk

Like Mountains, I try to be stay as cruelty free as possible when I go shopping. Of course, it isn't easy to always be 100% cruelty free, but I guess at least making an effort is a step in the right direction. There is a list of companies that do not test on animals here:

http://www.astrostar.com/DO-NOT-Test.htm

B5C

Some may disagree, but the only animal testing I would accept is for medical purposes. Millions have been saved because a few rats sacrificed themselves to improve medicine.

I'm not medically educated enough to know this for a fact, but I understand that alternatives to animal testing do exist that would be more reliable but also more expensive, so companies tend to go with what's cheap for themselves. This understanding comes from literature I read from PETA many years ago.

One thing. DO NOT TRUST ANYTHING PETA SAYS!

PETA supports eco-terrorism and also Peta kills more animals than city own animal shelters. Also they don't view animals and humans as equal. PETA once complained too Hamas because they used a donkey as a bomb, but they didn't care that a human kills another human.





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bodhipunk

One thing. DO NOT TRUST ANYTHING PETA SAYS!

Who has ever trusted Pamela Anderson?