Cats Animal Testing

This is a follow up on the other 2 posts on animal testing that I have made. It is so easy to forget about the cruelty of animal testing as it is out of sight ("out of sight out of mind"). The concept of out of sight out of mind pervades all we do.

For example, we can't see pollution from second hand cigarette smoke. Sure you see it being released from the cigarette, but at low levels when it is gradually released from objects where it has been sitting for along time, it is impossible to see it. If we can't see it, it doesn't exist, almost.

Research indicates a lot of damage done to passive smokers. 30,00o people in the UK die of passive smoking every year. Think what it is like in the poorer countries being targeted by the cynical cigarette manufacturers.

So if we can't see cats being used in animal testing experiments, we forget about it. That's why I am posting some photographs with the permission of the person who has copyright. All the photos are copyright Brian Gunn IAAPEA. The objective is to put the issue in front of us to remind us.

The cat in the picture with the mask below was kept blinded by the mask (that you can see) for 6 months. I presume to see the effect that it has on the cat psychologically. Wicked cruelty.

Large companies such as the largest consumer products company Procter and Gamble conduct "product safety research". Nice one P&G. P&G are the parent company of Iams pet food.

There is hard evidence that Iams are conducting or paying others to conduct animal testing. Iams is a respected cat food manufacturer or that is the image they portray.

Note:

1. I know of no connection between Iams or P&G and the images on this page.
2. I do not condone violent protests against animal testing
3. I admire those brave souls who spend time to protest peacefully

I have to be cautious as Procter and Gamble are huge and with their muscle they could sue me off the face of the earth :). However P&G apparently admit that they do use cats (and of course other animals) in product research. A part of their website is dedicated to their arguments as to why they feel they need to use animal testing.

Humane Society of the United States® is working in partnership with P&G to I presume minimise and eliminate the need for animal testing. If you were a cynical pain in the backside such as me you might think that P&G had donated a large sum of money to the Humane Society of the United States to give credibility to their argument that they are doing their level best to find alternatives to animal testing. I am not saying that P&G did donate a large sum - this is supposition only.

The only reason why companies do animal testing is to allow them to make more profit. We the consumer don't need more products. In fact we need less products, less possessions and more thought and proper actions.

Animal testing then is carried out in the name of commerce. This is still the case if the products are ultimately beneficial to mankind. The profit element is the first objective, always.

Making profits is fine it what makes the world tick. But it can tick a little slower for me if it means no animal testing. It would take longer to introduce the products and they may be less good but so what. The trade off is enormous.

The picture of the cat with what appears to be broken legs on the right at the bottom of this posting is in fact a cat that has legs that have been deliberately deformed by humans to see the effect this has on him. Wicked.

My mind turns to Gandhi again, who was the master of effective non-violent protest.

Here are some of his sayings courtesy All Great Quotes

"Non-violence is the first article of my faith. It is also the last article of my creed"

"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty"