Animal testing is a prevalent problem. According to Cruelty Free International, over 115 million animals are being used for animal testing worldwide. Switching to cruelty-free products is one of the best ways to say no to animal testing, and here’s why you should do it right now:

1. Many great brands are cruelty-free

There are thousands of cruelty-free brands available today. Gone are the days when choosing cruelty-free products meant only purchasing patchouli lotion from a small, local shop. We can still support all the great independent businesses, but a lot of mainstream big-name brands have now gone cruelty-free. You’re not really limiting yourself that much by making the switch, since so many great brands are already cruelty-free.

2. There are better alternatives available

Some companies try to tell us that animal testing serves a purpose: tests are being performed on animals to make sure that ingredients and products are safe enough for humans. The truth is there are alternatives to animal testing for ingredient safety. For example, many companies choose to use in vitro testing, which has many advantages over animal testing. There are also cultured cell tissues as well as computer models to opt for.

3. Animal testing is simply unnecessary

To formulate their products, companies can choose from a list of over 7,000 ingredients that are already proven to be safe. This just proves that they don’t need to test more ingredients on animals. The only companies that choose to test more ingredients on animals do so because they want to come up with new, innovative ingredients to increase their profits.

4. Laboratory animals are animals, too

According to the law, laboratory animals form a special category of animals and aren’t protected from animal abuse and cruelty. This view is completely unethical and nonsensical. We protect pets from abuse, but laboratory bunnies, mice, dogs, cats, and other animals don’t have the same rights. Lab animals are animals, too and should be protected from cruel treatment.

5. Cats and dogs are being used in animal experiments

Cats and dogs are commonly used in medical animal experiments. Based on statistics, 67,772 dogs and 24,221 cats were used in animal testing in the United States alone in 2013. In terms of dog breeds, a shockingly large number of Beagles are used, because of their docile nature. These animals are treated like laboratory animals and are deprived of the basic rights we allow our pets.

6. Governments worldwide are banning animal testing

Many countries have already banned animal testing for cosmetics on finished products and ingredients. The European Union, Isreal, India, Norway, and New Zealand among others have all banned animal testing. Governments across the world banning this practice should tell us how harmful and unethical it really is.

7. Animal testing is crueler than you think

The animals used in experiments are not only confined to small cages and inhumane conditions, but they’re also subjected to tests that are beyond cruel. They’re tortured, maimed, blinded, and even killed. They live a life of suffering and know nothing but fear.

8. Cruelty-free means less waste

Going cruelty-free is also a great excuse to give more thought to your purchases and have more of a minimalistic approach. By only buying the items we need, we’re also minimizing waste and doing our little part to be more conscious, and less wasteful of our resources.

9. Cruelty-free is better for the environment

Switching to cruelty-free cosmetics and cleaning products opens your eyes to products that are healthier for you and the environment. Many mainstream brands are full of harsh or toxic chemicals that do nothing good for your body and once they go down the drain, they aren’t doing the environment any favors either.

From sulfates to parabens, the array of chemicals that go into personal care and cleaning products firstly pass through animal tests before they reach you and then are discarded into the environment. Forgoing these types of products creates a big impact to your health, the health of the environment, as well as taking a stand for innocent lab animals each time you opt for cruelty-free.

10. When you know better, you do better

The beauty industry likes to hide its dark side and minimize the actual animal testing going on behind the scenes. If you weren’t aware of the cruelty of animal testing before, it’s okay. Now that you know, you can make better and more informed decisions that can have a big impact on animals across the world.

Make the switch now

By supporting cruelty-free companies instead of the ones who choose to test on animals, you’re sending the whole industry a message in the only language they speak: money. They know that they won’t be getting your business unless they stop testing on animals. If enough consumers boycott companies that test on animals, we can truly make a change and influence more companies to go cruelty-free.