The efficacy of animal testing has been the center of much debate in the past few decades. In the world of cosmetics, the need for live animal tests has become rather outdated, the fact is in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration does not even require it for cosmetic products and the compounds used in most products have been used and tested for years now. Many cosmetic companies have taken action to end animal testing in their lines, but things aren’t so clear cut in the world of pharmaceuticals. Although there is real evidence that animal trials do not yield accurate results that can definitely rule out whether or not a chemical is safe for human consumption, and there are new technologies that can test a product’s safety without animals, we continue to subject countless animals to testing.

Beagles are a favorite in the pharmaceutical industry because of their docile nature and gentle demeanor. Many people are shocked to learn animals other than mice or rabbits are used for experimental testing, but the fact is, 70,000 and 75,000 dogs are used for research in the United States each year and the majority of these are beagles. These dogs are forced to live in concrete cages and never allowed to really be dogs. Some labs even remove the dogs’ voiceboxes to keep them quiet. But apparently, this is hardly the only form of cruel and unusual treatment these animals experience.

Beagle Freedom Project recently posted a photo on Facebook with the caption, “The University Of Illinois euthanizes beagles if they don’t cooperate while being put into restraining jackets because of their fear!”

It is heartbreaking that these animals are even subjected to tests, let alone that they receive this sort of cruel treatment. Thankfully, Beagle Freedom Project is working tirelessly to secure a better future for lab beagles and all other animals. Beagle Freedom Project is currently suing the University of Illinois for misleading the state General Assembly about its animal testing procedures and you can help them by making a donation.

No animal deserves to suffer when much more effective technology is available. Share this post and encourages others to as well to garner as much support for Beagle Freedom Project as possible. We can all also work to end this cruel practice by looking for products that have a “cruelty-free” label, which signifies products were made without the use of animal tests. The more interest consumers show in cruelty-free products, the more likely that brands and companies will opt to create items that do not involve this outdated practice.

To learn more about Beagle Freedom Project and their work, click here.

Image source: Beagle Freedom Project/Facebook