By Daniel Shannon

The "P" and "G" in Procter & Gamble could more appropriately stand for Pain & Greed. Each year, the Procter & Gamble corporation tortures and destroys at least thousands of animals in a series of outdated, inaccurate, and unnecessary product tests while cruelty-free alternatives are readily available. Despite pressure from consumers, animal advocates, the government, and its own shareholders, Procter & Gamble insists on maintaining this barbaric and archaic practice.

Caustic chemicals are forced into the eyes of rabbits and applied to animals’ shaved and raw skin. Laboratory workers place the animals in restraining devices so they cannot struggle while the workers apply the chemicals, which burn into the animals’ eyes and skin. P&G "scientists" do not sedate the animals or give them painkillers. Animals sometimes break their necks or backs attempting to escape the pain. Those that survive are used in additional painful tests until they are finally killed. The victims include rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets
and other animals.

Procter & Gamble claim to be concerned with animal welfare and interested in ending animal tests. Their actions tell a different story:

P&G refuses to release specific information on the numbers and types of animals used in experiments to the public, the media, or its own shareholders.

In 1987, P&G refused a shareholder resolution that would have eliminated product testing on animals for consumer and household products.

In 1990, P&G lobbied unsuccessfully against legislation to ban the Draize test (involving direct insertion of toxic substances into animals’ eyes) in California.

P&G widely publicizes the fact that it has spent over $64 million in 14 years to research alternatives to animal testing. However, compare that number with the $5.1 billion P&G spends on
advertising yearly. P&G spends more on advertising in 5 days than it has spent in total on animal testing alternatives in its history.

P&G also widely publicizes that it has stopped animal testing on all existing products. What they don’t say is that all new products and products with new or altered ingredients continue
to be tested on animals. A large number of P&G products fit one of these categories.

P&G claims to be at the forefront of the campaign to abandon animal testing but in reality is far behind. Over 600 companies manufacture products comparable to P&G’s without testing on animals, and companies far smaller than P&G have created many more alternatives to animal testing. In addition, the government does not require animal product testing of any kind, and in 1984 the Consumer Product Safety Commission stated that "it is important to keep in mind that neither the [Federal Hazardous Substances Act] nor the Commission’s regulations require any firm to perform animal tests."

Animal tests are not required for consumer safety. They are highly inaccurate and alternatives are widely available. Procter & Gamble stubbornly refuses to accept scientific and ethical reasons for the dissolution of animal testing. The only thing they will listen to is profit margins. By making your consumer voice heard, you can send a message to Procter & Gamble that the public will not stand by as thousands of animals are slaughtered needlessly.

Please visit our table in front of the Campus Center office all week for more information on Procter & Gamble, including lists of P&G products and their alternatives. Pringles may taste good, but animal suffering doesn’t. Boycott Procter & Gamble until animal testing ends.
 

Shannon is member of the class of 2001.