Animals should never be used to test cosmetics or anything else. Discuss.
Many people think that animal testing is used for only new medicine development. However, a lot of tests on animals are conducted to test cosmetics that we use every day. This is because cosmetic companies as well as pharmaceutical companies need to check whether cosmetics have side effects or not for humans; for example, this includes allergies and skin diseases. Therefore, rabbits, mice, and guinea pigs are used testing the development of medicines and cosmetics instead of human beings. Actually, 500,000 animals die a year by the tests because they injure these animals seriously.
For the purpose of animal protection and humanity, many people protest against animal testing. However, it is a fact that medical and chemical fields have improved dramatically by animal testing. Furthermore, there will be studies and technological development that absolutely need animal testing in the near future. Therefore, it is difficult for us to determine whether animal testing is essential or not in medical and cosmetic fields.
Researchers conduct their tests on animals based on a guiding principle called “3R”. 3R means “Refinement “, “Reduction”, and “Replacement”. That is, researchers attempt to relieve pain from animals, decrease the number of testing animals, and test on substitutes to animals. Some cosmetic companies, such as The Body Shop, Aesop, and Lush, have developed cruelty-free products in recent years. The cruelty-free products are developed without testing on animals. It is important that we should learn about tests on animals for the development of cosmetics and understand that a lot of animals are killed by these tests every day. Furthermore, we can choose cruelty-free products proactively. The 12th target of SDGs is “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”. The society that we will create by 2030 should live together with all creatures on Earth. We will create a sustainable society and a lifestyle associated with nature.
I think that dogs are the best animals. My reasons are…
1. Dogs are always beside you because they are faithful. Dogs never betray you.
2. You can discover new places and build up good connections with other owners when you take a walk with your dogs.
3. There are dogs, called therapy dogs, that can help elderly or disabled people recover.