Ideal Bite

Dear IB, Thank you for this valuable tip describing the many different versions and degrees of "cruelty-free" claims. While I rarely buy cosmetics, I do buy toothpaste and the occasional body lotion. You can bet I will be looking for the bunnies now!

I'm a huge animal lover so this tip really hits home for me. I would love to see more tips related to natural products for pets too.

Don't forget about the use of your dollars past consumer purchases! When you donate to charities, do you know if they are charities testing on animals? Although not as easy as reading the fine print, there are sources that help. http://www.humaneseal.org/

Before touting PETA's cruelty free shopping guide you should know something about them. Please go to: PetaKillsAnimals.com PETA is also suing Primarily Primates for the third time (the last two suits were thrown out for unsubstantiated claims). I too was sucked into PETA and was a member for years. I thought they were a little over the edge but if it was for the good of animals I agreed with it. I didn't see the darker side until they decided to sue Primarily Primates a couple of years ago. I have been and continue to be a member of Friends of Animals and Primarily Primates. Ingrid Newkirk has stated that she'd rather see all of the animals living at Primarily Primates dead instead of in cages. Some of the Chimps are 30 years old and before coming to Primarily Primates lived in tiny cages and were used for experimentation for most of their lives. They are now living in big outdoor enclosures, getting fruits and vegetables to eat and are living with others of their species. Some are standing on grass rather than concrete for the first time in their lives. And PETA would rather euthanize them then let them live out their lives somewhere where they have a quality of life for the first time in their lives. PETA boasts a $36 million dollar budget. Are you and others donating money so that PETA can file frivolous lawsuits, lawsuits that attempt to shut down good, decent animal shelters?

I really appreciate this tip and thanks for educating me on the wording that companies may use. I don't buy products that are tested on animals, it's a small and easy thing to do. And the more people do this the more companies will stop needless cruel product testing. Also I wanted to comment on the previous post by Katherine. Yes PETA may have their issues and one may not want to donate money to them that is true. But their database of products not tested on animals has been invaluable to me and is a great resource.

This is a great tip! Thank you for spreading the word about this issue as many people are not aware of the cruelty and mistreatment of animals but once they find out, there's no going back. The list of cruelty free companies is very helpful! For more information, please listen the podcast done by compassionatecooks.com called Compassionate Bathroom, it covers this issue very deeply.

We never test on animals! It is not necessary if you are using safe ingredients that are meant to be consumed. If it is unsafe to consume ingredients in your products why would you use it on your skin, our largest organ. WE support PETA and do not use products that have been tested at any level on animals. http://www.goldenpathalchemy.com/about/affiliations.html More about our company: http://www.goldenpathalchemy.com/ Golden Path Alchemy is a holistic, handmade, herbal skin care company. We combine Chinese herbs, Western herbs, therapeutic essential oils, flower essences and gem elixirs to create powerful healing blends that transform your skin from ordinary to extraordinary. Our products are handmade in small batches with all-natural, local and certified organic ingredients to ensure freshness and potency. Each product is rich with the all the nourishment your skin needs to reveal your radiant beauty.

Is there a place to find out if products are tested on human volunteers? I don't like the idea of cruel treatment of animals but I don't want to use a product that is untested.

I don't see that limiting your ingredients to consumables will help since there are foods that are fine to eat but can blind you if you get them in your eyes.

When you bring up the subject of mice, rabbits and rats, I think about how most rats and mice dwell in sewers and garbage and spend most of their lives foraging for food and evading preditors. Many carry desease and harmful insects. The only other redeaming quality these three rodents is they are at the bottom of the food chain. For those of you who keep a pet confined in your living quarters or a kennel out back, how are you any different than the ones you persecute?

Does anyone know of any good brands that are cruelty-free and still affordable? It is really tough to buy cruelty-free products without breaking the bank. I know there are a lot of cruelty-free brands and products out there, but if someone could just list a few reasonably priced brands to look out for, that would be great.