People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

About the author: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world. Founded in 1980, PETA is dedicated to establishing and protecting the rights of all animals. PETA operates under the simple principle that animals do not belong to humans to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment.

A range of household products including cosmetics and cleaners are routinely tested on animals to determine how safe the products are for human use. Some of these animals are subjected to pain in tests of skin or eye irritancy; others are killed while establishing the lethal dose of chemical products. There is no law that requires animal testing to certify product safety, and some companies have abandoned the practice...