Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop Call for Canada to Ban Animal Testing for Cosmetic Purposes

Thanks a Million:  Petition Delivered to Canadian Government with One Million Signatures

OTTAWA, Feb. 4, 2014 /CNW/ - Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop today called on the Canadian Government to ban animal testing for cosmetic purposes.  A petition containing one million signatures from customers and supporters worldwide was presented to Leader of the Green Party Elizabeth May MP.

Monica Engebretson, Campaign Manager, Cruelty Free International and Laura Cummins, Vice President of Brand, The Body Shop Canada met with MP Elizabeth May on Parliament Hill to present the signatures and to encourage her to raise the issue with the Canadian government.

The call to the Canadian government follows animal testing bans for cosmetic purposes in the European Union, India, Israel and China's recent announcement of acceptance of non-animal testing from June 2014. Cruelty Free International is continuing to campaign for a global ban as over 80% of the world - including Canada - still allows animals to be used in cruel experiments for cosmetics products.

The Body Shop supported Cruelty Free International, the first global organization solely dedicated to ending the use of animals to test cosmetics products throughout the world, by asking customers in stores across 65 countries to sign a pledge calling for an end to these tests on animals. It has been the largest and most ambitious campaign ever to seek a global ban on the use of animals to test cosmetics.

Cruelty Free International Chief Executive, Michelle Thew, said:  "We are in Ottawa today to appeal to the Canadian Government to listen to the collective voice of one million people and start putting plans in place to end these experiments and prevent further unnecessary suffering for thousands of animals. The European Union ban on animal tested cosmetics was widely celebrated in March 2013 and now it is time for the rest of the world to take action and end all animal tests for cosmetic products and their ingredients."

Laura Cummins, Vice President of Brand at The Body Shop Canada added: "For over 20 years The Body Shop has been campaigning to ban animal testing in cosmetics and we're immensely proud of the impact we have made in changing the law in the EU. Sadly, animal testing is still allowed in Canada and we will continue to campaign and raise awareness until animal testing for cosmetics is banned!"

Notes to Editor

Cruelty Free International works with governments, regulators, companies and partner organizations worldwide. It has placed the issue of animal testing on the agenda of many governments for the very first time as part of a global strategy to tackle product testing.
www.crueltyfreeinternational.org

The Body Shop was the first and most long-standing cosmetics company to take action on the issue of animal testing in cosmetics. In 1996 founder Dame Anita Roddick joined Cruelty Free International's founding organization the BUAV and European partners in presenting a petition containing 4 million signatures to the European Commission.  The Body Shop was the first international cosmetics company to gain BUAV certification under the Humane Cosmetics Standard, launched in 1997, and proudly displays the Leaping Bunny logo in their stores worldwide. http://www.thebodyshop.com

Image with caption: "Laura Cummins, Vice President of Brand at The Body Shop Canada and Shelley Go, Store Manager at St Laurent Body Shop in Ottawa, stand proudly after presenting a petition containing One Million signatures from customers and supporters worldwide to Elizabeth May MP and Leader of the Canada Green Party. The campaign is supported by Cruelty Free International Campaign Manager, Monica Engebretson. (CNW Group/The Body Shop)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140204_C7225_PHOTO_EN_36248.jpg

Image with caption: "The Body Shop (CNW Group/The Body Shop)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140204_C7225_PHOTO_EN_36193.jpg

Image with caption: "Cruelty-Free (CNW Group/The Body Shop)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140204_C7225_PHOTO_EN_36194.jpg

SOURCE: The Body Shop

The Body Shop:
Taryn Fisher:  [email protected].  ([phone]
ROI Relations Laura Trubkin [email protected]  (+1)647.725.1644

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