You can stop reading now and skip to the bottom or you can read on about my journey to get to where I am currently...
I did my research on cruelty-free products. You'd be amazed at which of your favorite companies DO test on animals and those who DO NOT. Check HERE for the PETA listing. This list isn't 100% complete but it's a good jumping off point.
Boyfriend has been 100% behind me and hasn't laughed once. Even when I called him from Target in a panic one day because I ran out of hair spray and couldn't remember which of my regular brands (ie. hairspray that is under $6)was on my list I could buy from. Yes, I ended up coming home empty handed. I know many people might find this all really silly, but I believe in why I do what I do.
Now, don't get me wrong, as much as I've committed to live a cruelty-free life it's only to a point. I still eat meat. I still eat eggs. I still eat sea creatures. I am just more conscious about where it comes from. I'm still trying to get Boyfriend to let me buy cage free eggs, but when you look at 89 cents compared to $3 he hasn't caved yet.
It's been a long process, but if you go through my make-up, house cleaning products and hair products I will be happy to tell you that 97% of them are cruelty-free. This makes my heart feel good.
Even our dog food is animal friendly. Yes, some animal food manufactures do incredibly cruel things to animals all for the sake of "testing results." * Sigh*
On to my what I really wanted to talk about...
Beagle Freedom Foundation does not have a local chapter in Utah, so I contacted the Humane Society of Utah to see if we had a research animal rescue group. I am realistic and realize that research on animals is necessary to a degree. You can't test that new pacemaker on a human for the first one. I get it. So I want to help make the research animals lives as good as I can. The Humane Society put me in contact with someone at the U of U who walks the reseach dogs. These dogs are amazing. Most of them come from local animal shelters and nobody wanted them. Sure, I understand how people would think it's cruel to sell shelter dogs to research facilities for testing. But what they DO NOT know is that most of these dogs get adopted after their study is done. Yes, some do not wake up from their study and that breaks my heart but I understand the "why" now. So these dogs that nobody wanted and there was a real possibility of them being put down get an extra special second chance at finding a forever family. Or as we like to say their "retirement home." Yes, I had to prep myself before the first day I walked through those doors that some of the dogs I would see I wouldn't see again. I'm so glad I braced myself for that possibility because the first day that I didn't see one of them in their cages I was okay. I was sad, but I wasn't devastated. Each time I get to walk some of them it gives me a little smile because I know that I just made their day a little better. And then comes the magically special day that one of them gets adopted... My favorite research dog Sydney got adopted with another one of her research pals, Gypsy, last weekend. This makes it all worth it. Look at her doggie smile!
Follow-up Note: I find immense joy in walking "my research dogs." Unfortunately, due to PETA the U of U will no longer be obtaining dogs from local shelters. They will only be using bred for purpose dogs and that's a whole other subject. I'm sure I'll have some really interesting stories when we start walking them (Because they've never been owned, they've never been walked, they know NO manners, but one day we will try and adopt them out). We still have about 6 research dogs that are done with their studies and are (or will be soon) up for adoption. If you are interested in any of them please holler at me!
No comments:
Post a Comment