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In my shoes …

If you took a shower this morning; washed and conditioned your hair; used soap, deodorant and brushed your teeth, under current Australian law you probably used products tested on animals.

Last year in Australia 6.8 million animals were tested on to ensure that everyday products and medicines were safe for humans. That’s a lot of animals!  The way humans live today would be very different if not for testing on animals just like me. Our suffering has improved the lives of many humans.

Here in the lab, animals like me are not given names - just numbers. That’s because scientists “white coats” who experiment on us think of us as laboratory tools – not animals with feelings.

Whilst we are seen as a valuable asset to scientific research, drug development, medical and cosmetic manufacturing the conditions we are placed in are intolerable.  I have been locked in this cage since I was born and I have never been outside.  I have been told that the white coasts like to use rabbits in their tests because we’re small, gentle, and easy to handle.

Before a new drug is made available to humans, it is first given to me. During tests, they put me in restraining devices so I can’t move, Chemicals are dropped into my eyes and because rabbits don’t have tear ducts, I cant wash it away.  My eyes feel like they are burning and I constantly have a red rash.  I also regularly have my fur shaved, and chemicals applied to my skin.  The ‘White Coats’ write down how long it takes for the chemicals to irritate my skin.

I have also been electrocuted when they placed me in a maze to test how I responded to light.  The rabbit in the cage next to me died from poisoning last week as he was force fed chemicals and nothing else.  A few years ago my sister had her leg amputated without any anaesthesia to see the effect of pain on her heartrate.

Common sense would tell you that rabbits and human are not the same.  In fact the Humane Society reported last year that 85% of tests on animals did NOT have the same effect on humans.

Technological advances over the past few years have made other methods for reliable so there is no reason to test on animals.  The white coats can grow human skin in test tubes and miniature organs to test the effect of chemicals on them.  Humans now donate their bodies to science; computers can conduct “virtual” experiments and scanning machines can see inside the human body to monitor what is happening.  All of these methods are now more reliable than testing on animals.

We count on compassionate people like animal activists who oppose us being used in research. They are our voice and our heroes as we cannot be heard. Organisations like PETA, the RSPCA and the Humane Society raise money, awareness and take action towards organisations and companies to stop the experiments.

Here in Australia animal testing is still legal even though the European Union started banning it in 2008.  If you look around your house you can still find items tested on animals from countries such as the US, China and Brazil. The Government has announced that by July next year animal testing for cosmetics will be officially banned.

You can help me by encouraging your parents to purchase cruelty free products and avoiding ones that have been tested on animals like me so that I can be free.

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FOREVER AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING DOGUMENTARY – THE BODY SHOP

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As part of the 2017-18 budget package, the Government will implement a ban on cosmetic testing on animals by:

Introducing legislation to enable a national ban on the use of new animal test data to support the introduction of chemicals used exclusively as cosmetic ingredients;

Working with states and territories to incorporate a testing ban through their respective legislation, triggered by changes to the National Health and Medical Research Council Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes; and

Working with the cosmetics industry, in consultation with key animal welfare stakeholders, to develop a voluntary code of practice on the sale of cosmetic products.

Legislation to enable the ban

The ban will be achieved through the new Australian Industrial Chemical Introduction Scheme (AICIS).

The legislative package to establish AICIS was passed unamended through the House of Representatives on 17 October 2017 and is currently before the Senate. To assist regulated entities to adequately prepare for compliance with AICIS, the Australian Government has decided to defer commencement of the scheme until 1 July 2019.

This approach will ban the use of data derived from animal tests that are conducted after the commencement of the new scheme to support the introduction of a chemical in a cosmetic. It also:

aligns with the approach taken in the European Union (EU), thereby ensuring the ongoing protection of health, worker safety and the environment and minimal impact to business

encourages the use of information from new methods that do not rely on the use of animals, for chemicals with any industrial use (including cosmetics)

continues to allow, for chemicals with industrial uses other than in cosmetics, the use of data from animal tests where necessary to protect human health and the environment

permits the submission of existing animal test data in limited circumstances where this is necessary to protect human health and the environment from known harmful effects of any chemical (including a cosmetic ingredient)

provides a transition period for industry to move to the new arrangements.

The approach will allow for the use of animal test data as a last resort for chemicals which have uses in addition to cosmetics. This measure is necessary because non-cosmetic uses of chemicals potentially present higher risks and more comprehensive assessment is required to ensure that there is no reduction in how the scheme protects human health and the environment. While there is a trend away from animal testing, it does remain the sole tool available for understanding some of these risks.

Consultations

Exposure drafts of the Rules and Categorisation Guidelines with explanatory notes are now available. Stakeholders are invited to participate in further consultations on the draft Rules and Categorisation Guidelines until 31 May 2018. Further consultation information is available from the National Industrial Chemicals Assessment Scheme reforms webpage.

Q&As

Why is the Government implementing a ban on cosmetic testing on animals?

The Government has received strong public support to introduce a ban on cosmetic testing on animals. This ensures that animal testing is only used as a last resort. This ban will bring Australia into line with the EU and other countries introducing a ban on cosmetic testing on animals.

Will the cosmetics that I'm currently using disappear from the shelves as a result of the ban?

No, cosmetics already existing on the market, and for which the safety is already established, are not affected by the ban. The ban will relate to new ingredients and products.

Will cosmetics still be safe to use?

Yes. Information must be provided that demonstrates the safety of a cosmetic ingredient. The legislation allows for a range of alternate data sources to be provided instead of animal test data.

This can include recognised international alternatives to animal tests, for example, tests validated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), computer based modelling and information from existing animal test data of a similar chemical.

Will the use of animal test data be accepted in certain situations?

Yes. Like the EU, the legislation allows for animal test data to be considered as a last resort, this is important to protect human health, worker safety and the environment.

How is this applied to ingredients that are also used for other purposes?

This ban will prohibit the use of animal test data for the majority of cosmetics introduced in Australia. The remainder of new cosmetic ingredients are those that are also introduced for use in other industries. Based on historical data it is estimated that less than 1% of these 'multi-use' cosmetic ingredients used animal test information to support their introduction.

In line with the original commitment, these 'multi-use' ingredients are excluded from the ban. To expand the scope of the ban beyond this:

will be inconsistent with other bans implemented internationally (for example the EU);

will not reduce the amount of animal testing that occurs;

could lead to higher costs or reduced choice for consumers; and

could lead to human health and environmental safety issues as the development of alternative non-animal tests to ensure safety is ongoing.

How does the ban in the EU operate?

More than 80% of the cosmetic products on Australian shelves are imported and a major proportion of these are introduced from countries in the EU. The EU prohibits the use of animal test data to support the safety of a cosmetic marketed in the EU, where the data has been generated in order to meet regulatory requirements for the marketing of cosmetics.

Animal test data on chemicals used solely in cosmetics is permitted to meet EU regulatory obligations for protection of workers and the environment. Animal testing is permitted to meet EU obligations for substances that are used for multiple purposes (i.e. not solely in cosmetics).

The diagram below illustrates how the EU and the Australian bans operate within each regulatory system:

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has released advice on the interaction between the EU Cosmetics Regulation and the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals regulation (REACH).

How common is the submission of animal test data to support the introduction of cosmetic chemicals?

The use of animal test data to support the introduction of cosmetic chemicals is decreasing. Cheaper non-animal alternatives have become increasingly available since the introduction of a ban in the EU.

Following the EU ban, which came into full effect in 2013, there has been:

a marked reduction in the use of animal test data for cosmetics chemicals

a similar reduction in the use of animal test data for cosmetic chemicals with other industrial uses ('multi-use' chemicals); and

no shift towards using cosmetic chemicals for other industrial uses to subvert the ban.

Key resources
Consultation Paper March 2017 (PDF 1371 KB) Summary Views - First Round Consultations (PDF 124 KB)
Ban on cosmetic testing on animals background paper (PDF 418 KB)Ban on cosmetic testing on animals background paper (Word 388 KB)

More information

Enquiries:

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As part of the 2017-18 budget package, the Government will implement a ban on cosmetic testing on animals by: Introducing legislation to enable a national ban on the use of new animal test data to support the introduction of chemicals used exclusively as cosmetic ingredients; Working with states and territories

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It's been almost two years since the government announced its plan to prohibit cruel tests on animals for cosmetics products, and now, this life-saving legislation has been pushed back another year.

A delay in legislation that will prevent animals from having chemicals dumped into their eyes, poured down their throats, or rubbed onto their skin is inexcusable. It's also frustrating for consumers, who have made it clear that they don't want to support these cruel tests for another instant, let alone another whole year.
Toxic and Tragic
Not only do animals in laboratories endure the application of chemicals to their sensitive eyes and skin, they're also forced to live in barren cages that lack environmental enrichment. Many develop neurotic behaviour, such as spinning in circles.

Testing products on animals is also bad science. These experiments are poor predictors of human skin and eye reactions. For example, the results from eye-irritation tests are often flawed because of the physiological differences between human and rabbit eyes.

In 2016, a Roy Morgan survey found that Australian consumers are increasingly concerned about animal testing. This research showed that marketing products as "[n]ot tested on animals" resulted in the biggest boost when it came to influencing sales in recent years.
Background
"Cosmetics" in Australia include all make-up and skin- and hair-care products, as well as things like toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, perfume, and sunscreen.

While cosmetic companies don't test on animals in Australia, many conduct tests on animals elsewhere in the world, before they end up on our shelves here.

Amid the election hype in 2016, the government announced that it would ban cosmetics testing on animals, effective on 1 July 2017. At the time, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ken Wyatt AM MP was alleged to have said that such tests were "unethical, unnecessary, of highly questionable value and should stop".

But just prior to the 2017 deadline, the government announced a 12-month delay. Now, the legislation has been pushed back again until July 2019.
In the Fine Print
As the first delay was announced, it was also revealed that government's plan had too many loopholes to be effective for animals. The original proposal only banned the use of data for ingredients used "solely in cosmetics". The vast majority of cosmetic ingredients are also used in other sectors, and therefore under this legislation, could still be tested on animals.

We hope that the delay at least means the final legislative outcome will be more robust for animals.

Dear intelligent people of the world,
don't get shampoo in your eyes.
It really stings.
There. Done.
Now fucking stop torturing animals.

- Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) July 21, 2012

More than 30 countries - including the entire European Union, Israel, New Zealand, and India, where PETA India was instrumental in getting a ban passed - have already ended cruel and barbaric tests on animals for cosmetics, a list that Australia should join immediately.

The sooner we stop allowing companies to profit from torturing animals, the better.

Thankfully, we don't have to wait for a ban to buy cruelty-free products that don't cause any animals to suffer. Click below to find out whether your favourite products are cruelty-free:

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Australian Government Delays Ban on Cosmetics Testing on Animals AGAIN | News | PETA Australia

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It's been almost two years since the government announced its plan to prohibit cruel tests on animals for cosmetics products, and now, this life-saving legislation has been pushed back another year. A delay in legislation that will prevent animals from having chemicals dumped into their eyes, poured down their throats, or rubbed onto their skin is inexcusable.

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Introduction
If you took a shower this morning; washed and conditioned your hair; used soap, deodorant then washed your teeth, under current Australian law you probably used products tested on animals. 6.8 million animals were tested on last year in Australia alone. Modern medicine would be different without animal testing. Research on dogs where the pancreases were removed led to the discovery of insulin in the early 20th century; this has saved and improved the lives of millions of diabetics, including some students in our audience today. The polio vaccine -- developed for human use only after it was tested on animals -- has helped reduce this disease entirely. Advances in breast cancer, brain trauma, leukemia, cystic fibrosis, malaria, multiple sclerosis and tuberculosis are directly attributable to animal experimentation, and without testing on chimpanzees, there would be no hepatitis B vaccine.
Paragraph 1
Animal testing is a valuable asset in scientific research, drug development, health and medical research and cosmetics manufacturing. Animals are frequently used as test subjects since their physiology is similar to human physiology, which provides information about how the human body will react to certain substances. Though many animal activists strongly oppose the use of animals in research, the above-mentioned fields still widely use animals as test subjects, and the options for alternatives to animal testing are still underdeveloped.  Before a new drug is to be tested on humans, it first is tested on animals. Various doses are administered to gather data on the responses and reactions to the drug. Metabolic tests regarding how the animal’s body treats the drug are also done, and information on how the animal’s body reacts to the drug is noted  Various cosmetics are tested on animals to ensure that they will not cause irritation and hypersensitivity reactions in humans. Because cosmetics are mostly used on skin surfaces, procedures--such as patch-testing--are usually done on animals to provide data on whether the substance causes skin irritation, and to what degree. If the test animal does not show any signs of skin irritation such as redness, swelling, or itchiness, then the cosmetic may be classified as non-irritating.
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Many cosmetics and household cleaners are tested on animals to find out whether they are toxic.  Chemicals are placed in rabbits’ eyes to see how much harm they cause. Rabbits are used because they are timid, have large eyes and do not have tears to wash away the substance, so researchers can monitor how badly their eyes are damaged. This is called the Draize test. Sometimes a patch of fur is shaved off animals and the products are applied to their bare skin to see how much irritation occurs. This is a skin irritancy test.Chemicals can be force-fed to animals until half of them die from poisoning. This is called the LD 50 Test.
Each of these tests is very painful for the animals, but they shouldn’t need to happen as there are other ways of testing whether a product is safe.

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Almost every type of human and animal cell can be grown in the laboratory. Scientists have grown miniature human organs, which provide a more realistic way to test new products. 'Organs-on-chips’' can be used instead of animals to study the effect of chemicals on humans. Healthy and diseased tissues donated from human volunteers can provide a more accurate way of studying human biology and disease than animal testing. Human tissue can be donated from surgery and are used to replace rabbit irritation tests. Computer models can be used to conduct virtual experiments based on existing information and mathematical data. Sophisticated scanning machines and recording techniques can ‘see’ inside the brain to monitor the progression of brain disease comparing with healthy volunteers.

Conclusion

Here in Australia animal testing doesn't happen anymore, but it is still legal and on the shelves you can still find many items tested on animals overseas too. That's why the Government has announced that by July next year animal testing for cosmetics will be officially banned in Australia. The ban will apply to new cosmetic products tested on animals overseas but not items which are already stocked in shops. The Government hopes those items will be gradually phased out by the companies that make them as well. The Opposition says it agrees with the changes and has promised to bring in similar laws if elected.

And hopefully one day, no more animals will need to suffer in the name of hygeine.