I really don't want this to turn into a debate...but...I wanted to hear from those who don't approve of animal testing, what their reasons are for that. It's always seemed to me that stuff has to be tested on either a human or an animal...and if it's going to be unintentionally deadly, I'd rather the animal die than the human. But...maybe I'm missing something...?

So, if you're against animal testing, care to enlighten a poor soul as to why it's bad?

I don't really have a response to the part about preferring animals to die over humans with testing, because I'm stuck on that. I agree, but at the same time, that's just the lesser of two evils.

The reason I'm against it is because it's cruel. Simple. Animals can feel pain, among other things.

I don't think God made animals to be shoved in small cages, where they can barely move, then be subjected to poking and prodding, chemicals put in their eyes, things injected into their veins. Isolated from other animals, besides maybe the other ones that are miserable in their cages too. They live their lives out in small cages, being tested on, and then they die. There's no happiness there.

If that life is the price for me to wear make up, then I don't want it. It's not worth it.

There's also medical experiments...which I spose are better than cosmetics...in a way - they're more valuable to us, but I still don't support the poor treatment of animals.

I'd happily post some YouTube videos if you wanted to see what happens to animals who are being tested on...but some are pretty horrible, so I won't. But hey, it doesn't hurt to see.

I don't have a horribly strong oppinion on the subject - I mean, I'm not going to go out and protest against animal testing, but......

I strongly believe that God gave human beings to responsibility to care for His creation. He gave this dominion over the earth to Adam in Genesis. We need to take care of the earth the best we can, and that includes animals. I take this same position with environmentalism. Although I don't buy some of the "we're killing the earth" theories, I do believe that we need to take care of this world.

I guess you could say I'm in the middle on this one. I don't take extreme positions on the issues, but I still try to live by the command God gave us to care for this earth.

Ok, I'll try not to go PETA on everyone. I understand that pharmaceutical things have to be tested. Drugs etc. That's the law.

There is however, no law saying household products and toiletries and cosmetics need to be tested. And it appears that there are many products out there that are high quality and fabulous that don't. Also, I don't see how if say, L'Oreal (testers) makes the same product over and over, that the ingredient need to be tested. It begs the question, if it can potentially kill someone, why have it in the house? I'd rather have a product that if Max (God forbid) took a slug of would cause diarrhea than a seizure.

Animals in testing labs go through unspeakable torture. Yes. It is torture. It is wasting a precsious life that God created. They do it to save a buck or two. Many products that are not tested on animals are tested using tissue cultures from humans or even just common sense, "hey if we use glycerin in this soap, we know that if some person eats it, it's going to clean them out, not kill them".

I remember on the AG or maybe it was the set apart life forum (of old) I got slaughtered for this viewpoint, and for being vegetarian. I mean I take it pretty far, on and off vegan and refusing to kill bugs, even quarter sized spiders in my basement that insist on watching me do laundry. (I had a right nice conversation with him/her).

I could go on, beleive me but I'm not going to. I don't see it as a matter of valuing the life of an animal over a human. I look at it as not senselessly wasting a life.

See this is why I asked about it - I didn't know they could do cultures of tissue to test on instead. To test it on a non-living-being instead of a living one makes good sense...and they definitely could treat test-animals better for those things that need to be tested on a living thing. This all makes much more sense now - thanks girls!

Mommadaydream, I thought it was law that cosmetics be tested? Or maybe that is just in Australia. I do know that there are differences in labelling laws in some countries, and I think in america they can basically lie on the pack of cosmetics. Pretty sure they can't in Australia.

But I agree with everything else that has been said. If they absolutely HAVE to test on animals, they should be at least kept in decent sized cages, and be put down ethically as soon as possible. But I am a fan of natural products, ones tested on synthesised human tissue, and using ingredients we know to be safe.

So I'll give my strange viewpoint on this one. As a Marine they test all sorts of strange stuff on us. It's not always good times.

"Hey Doc what's that shot" Doc: "Oh I really don't know but you all have to get it" Me: "That's just not cool"

I'm glad they at least usually test animals first. Also as somebody now being trained in Counter-Bio/Chem warefare I'm really super glad they don't test that stuff on humans! It's bad times. I feel the animals pain sort of literally but I'd rather they go first.

^ That's pretty much what I've always thought about it. And...that's not so cool that they test things on you guys.