The campaign was launched on Wednesday in New York with a protest which included eight dogs of different breeds and sizes carrying protest signs, bandanas and miniature banners.They protested outside the headquarters of the United Nations, challenging the organisation to ban animal testing on cosmetics to protect the 500,000 animals which are harmed due to this practice every year around the world.
The campaign was officially backed by Brazilian cosmetics brand Natura and premium skincare company Aesop – The Body Shop’s new sister companies following its acquisition by Natura in September last year.Jessie Macneil-Brown, Head of Global Campaigns, The Body Shop, said: “At The Body Shop we believe passionately in animal welfare and that animals shouldn’t be used for cosmetic testing.“We staged our animal protest with dogs, as they have been a powerful symbol for us throughout our Forever Against Animal Testing campaign, representing the relationship we have with animals and connecting with our cruelty-free supporters.”Having gathered 4.1 million signatures in the last six months, the petition is now the biggest ever against animal testing in cosmetics.The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International are inviting all companies that are against cosmetic animal testing to join the campaign.
