Bob Barker may have risen to fame as a well-known TV personality, but he has built quite the following for himself through his involvement with animals as well. Barker is known for closing every episode of The Price is Right by reminding people to spay and neuter their pets. He is a major supporter of PAWS wildlife sanctuary and has spoken out against keeping animals in captivity many times.

In his latest Animal rights endeavor, Barker has joined Cruelty Free International in their campaign to urge the U.S. to instate a ban on the use of animals for cosmetic testing!

While the use of animals for cosmetic testing is not technically required in the U.S., many companies continue to test their products on animals as an added “safety measure.” We know that testing chemicals and compounds on animals does not always guarantee their safety for human use, yet we continue to subject millions of animals to horrific and painful tests every year.

In a statement to the press, Barker explains, “Testing cosmetics on animals is a cruel, outdated, and unnecessary practice. Our nation’s largest trading partner, the European Union, has banned the sale of animal tested cosmetics and proven it is possible to produce safe cosmetics without harming animals.”

There are many known alternatives to using live animals to test the safety of cosmetics, it is time that the United States followed the lead of other countries who are putting animal welfare first and made moves to ban this cruel practice.

Barker’s Support of Cruelty Free International’s campaign is sure to help draw some much needed attention to this extremely worthy cause.

It might still be a while until we see an all out ban on animal testing for cosmetics passed in the U.S., but you can take the first step toward ending animal cruelty by looking for the Leaping Bunny, cruelty-free label on all the products you buy. No animal should ever have to suffer for the sake of beauty.

Image source: Cruelty Free International