Hollywood legends Sir Roger Moore, Brigitte Bardot and Virginia McKenna, OBE, are speaking out in support of a ban on selling animal-tested cosmetics in Europe.
They join stars Ricky Gervais, Ke$ha, Leona Lewis, Melanie C, Dame Judi Dench and Mary McCartney in signing Humane Society International's “CrueltyFree2013” petition.
These stars and more than 92,000 compassionate consumers are urging European Union politicians to keep their promise to make Europe a cruelty-free zone by banning the sale of new cosmetics tested on animals. With a ban in place, any cosmetics tested on rabbits, hamsters or other animals after 2013 would be banned from EU shop shelves.
“It seems absurd to me that Europe still allows animal-tested cosmetics to be sold in its shops when such animal testing is itself quite rightly banned in its laboratories,” said Roger Moore. “If something is unethical, it is unethical full-stop regardless of where in the world it takes place. So I say to EU politicians, stop supporting cosmetics animal testing in other countries by selling these products. You promised to ban them, and a gentleman’s word is his bond.”
In 2009, the EU banned animal testing for cosmetics in its own labs, but it is still legal to sell animal-tested products and ingredients imported from countries such as Brazil, China, Canada and the United States. An EU-wide ban on the sale of animal-tested cosmetics is due to come into force in March 2013, but the European Commission has hinted the ban may be delayed, perhaps by many years.
“We do not have the right to poison then kill animals, sensitive beings, for some beauty creams,” said Brigitte Bardot. “It is urgent to equip the European Union with reliable, modern and non-cruel research, by definitively abolishing animal testing which is a cruelty without name.”
Virginia McKenna added: “Sometimes I despair. We are meant to be an enlightened, civilized society, and yet we still exploit defenceless animals in the so-called ‘beauty’ business. Testing mascara, shampoo and other cosmetics on animals is completely unnecessary and totally cruel. Is that the choice we make over kindness and compassion? Shame on us if it is. I unreservedly support Humane Society International’s CrueltyFree2013 Petition.”
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, Hard Candy, Montagne Jeunesse, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and the Co-operative.
To join the celebrities and 92,000 EU consumers who’ve signed the CrueltyFree2013 petition so far, please click here, or visit www.hsi.org/crueltyfree2013.
