Animal testing on cosmetic products is so old school, cruel and dare we say, stupid? Especially if you live in India.

India made animal rights headlines recently after it declared dolphins “nonhuman persons” and banned all dolphin shows in the massive country. It was a major victory for marine mammals and animal rights advocates. But the largely vegetarian country wasn’t done with its support for animals yet, as it also recently announced a ban on the sale of any cosmetic products where animal testing was involved.

The decision came after an extensive campaign launched by PETA India (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). The campaign included appeals from some of the nation’s highest profile politicians and retailers including LUSH and the Body Shop.

“The end to cruel and unreliable cosmetics tests on animals in India is a victory for animals and science—and the ban’s compliance with international standards will improve trade avenues for our country,” says PETA India’s science policy adviser, Dr Chaitanya Koduri, who holds a seat on India’s Cosmetics Sectional Committee.

And the animal rights group isn’t stopping there, either. “PETA India looks forward to working with the government on the next step: a ban on testing household cleaners and similar products in India,” says Koduri.

The news comes just months after the European Union made a similar announcement, banning all personal care and cosmetic products that include any ingredients tested on animals in its 27 member countries.

Alokparna Sengupta, Humane Society International (HSI)/India’s Be Cruelty-Free campaign manager, said the campaign is a major victory “for countless animals who will no longer be made to suffer, and it is a proud moment for India as it becomes the first country in South Asia to end cosmetics cruelty.”

Per the ban, any cosmetics that includes animal testing anywhere along the production chain will face legal action according to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the Animal Cruelty Act. “[A]ny person or corporate manager or owner is liable for punishment for a term which may extend from 3-10 years and shall also be liable to fine,” reports The Hindu.

PETA now lists more than 1,200 companies around the world—including LUSH and The Body Shop as well as Urban Decay, Paul Mitchell, and Tom’s of Maine—that use only non-animal tests to guarantee their products’ safety and efficacy.

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

Image: The Hindu

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