Activists call for end to animal testing

Activists call for end to animal testing

Thu, 25 Jul 2013 1:15p.m.

Green MP Mojo Mathers holds the 13,000-signature petition and a dog (Simon Wong/ 3 News)

Animal rights activists have handed in a 13,000-signature petition calling on parliament to stop animals being used to test cosmetics.

Green Party MP Mojo Mathers accepted the petition on parliament's forecourt this afternoon.

"Animal testing is the ugly underbelly of the beauty industry," she said.

"It is cruel, painful and completely unnecessary as there are modern, smart alternatives."

Ms Mathers says the European Union and India have banned animal testing for cosmetics.

"It's time for New Zealand to step up and end this unethical and cruel practice."

Representatives of the animal rights organisation SAFE and their supporters gathered on the forecourt to hand over the petition, some of them dressed as rabbits.

The petition will be sent to a select committee which will decide whether to recommend law changes.

Earlier this month Ms Mathers was unsuccessful in a bid to ban the use of animals for testing party pills.

New laws passed by parliament force the manufacturers of party pills, known as "legal highs", to prove their products are safe before they can be sold.

The law says animals can't be used if alternative methods are available.

Ms Mathers argued for a total ban but her proposed amendment was defeated.

ACT leader John Banks, who supported the amendment, told parliament during the debate on the bill that rabbits were used to test cosmetics because they couldn't blink.

NZN

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