C is for cruelty-free: 3 apps that help animals

When it comes to beagles, cruelty-free is a topic that's near and dear to our hearts.

Beagles are the top dog breed for researchers testing products from wonder drugs to laundry detergent. There's a worldwide movement to rescue those beagles from research labs. Beagle Freedom Project is one such organization.

One way to help get the message out is to switch to products that don't test on animals. They're cruelty-free. They're lots of products out there, and you don't have to go to Whole Foods Market to get them either. Check out my cruelty-free guide to get some helpful tips.

But there are also some apps that can help. Check them out.

LEAPING BUNNY

Leaping Bunny is a coalition of organizations who have created a specific "cruelty-free standard" that companies have to adhere to in order to get the Leaping Bunny stamp of approval. The app is free and available in the Apple app store and on Android. Find out more on the Leaping Bunny website.

CRUELTY CUTTER

Cruelty Cutter is an app from Beagle Freedom Project. It catalogs hundreds of products (moreso than Leaping Bunny). While the app is not as stringent as Leaping Bunny, it's breadth of info gives readers a wide variety of products to choose from. The app costs $2.99 and is available in the Apple App Store and on Android. More information is on the Cruelty Cutter website.

BUNNY FREE

The Bunny Free app is a free app from PETA. It's similar to Cruelty Cutter and Leaping Bunny, but it's curated by PETA. It's available in Apple App Store and on Android.

Bonus: ASPCA ACTION

Animal research is just one of the big animal hot topics to consider when talking about animal cruelty. ASPCA Action is a magazine that will keep you up-to-date on all of ASPCA's actions. It's a free app.

A Texas-sized beagle rescue and a new cruelty-free app

Courtesy Beagle Freedom Project.

This beautiful beagle is free.

This week Beagle Freedom Project announced its first rescue in Texas. Seven beagles rescued from a lab on the border of Texas and Mexico.

Beagle Freedom Project will not say what lab it was, that's part of the agreement. And they can't say what these beagles (named Candy, Luca, Frida, Dolly, Nina, Bobby, and Grumpy) have been through. But some of them have been waiting to be freed from the lab for nine years!

Some 96 percent of animal testing is done using beagles because they are such sweet dogs. Your prescription meds, makeup, household cleaners and even your toothpaste may have been tested on a beagle.  

Courtesy Beagle Freedom Project.

Thanks to BFP these dogs are getting their first experience with a soft bed, grass and sunshine. They'll be fostered before they are adopted out. And it takes a lot of patience to foster and adopt a lab beagle. They don't know what it's like to be a dog. Some have trouble trusting humans. They've never had a treat. They've never walked outside to go potty. 

How can you help?

Beagle Freedom Project is trying to build a new recovery center. You can donate to them.

You can also sign up to foster or adopt a BFP dog. 

You can sign the petition and contact your state lawmakers to get them to sponsor the Beagle Freedom Bill, which forces labs to retire their lab beagles to rescue groups instead of killing them.

But you can also send a message to companies that test on dogs.

These companies, and many others test on animals.

Beagle Freedom Project came out with an easy way to find companies that don't test on animals.

If you have a smart phone, you can download the Beagle Freedom Project Cruelty Cutter app. You can use it to scan products in your house and find out if they are tested on animals. You can also find cruelty-free alternatives. Start telling companies that you want products that don't test on animals.

This is just the latest story I've written about the Beagle Freedom Project. You can read my other story here, including my two-part interview with BFP president Shannon Keith, below.

• Saving the AstraZeneca beagles
• Founder talks rescue, AstraZeneca and how you can help, part 1
• Beagle Freedom Project founder on what you can do to help research beagles
• DC beagles free thanks to Beagle Freedom Project
• Beagle of the week: Santi of the Beagle Freedom Project

Get involved: Beagle Freedom Bill helps dogs and cats in labs

The beagles on the left are testing cigarettes. It know it's a tough image to see I know, but it needs to be seen.

Every day researchers use thousands of beagles to test cigarettes, household cleaners, chemicals,  pharmaceuticals and sometimes cosmetics. Beagles are the number one breed used in labs. They're sweet and trusting dogs, as we all know. But that sweetness is a curse.

What's worse is what happens after. After years of experimentation, years in a cage without a kind word or touch, without love or affection, without decent food or a bed, these animals are killed.

That's it. They are bred, live and die for research.

Beagle Freedom Project is trying to change that.

 

 The Beagle Freedom Bill is currently working its away through the California and Minnesota legislatures. What it does is compel publicly-funded facilities to release dogs and cats used in testing into the care of rescue groups. 

Beagle Freedom Project is the group behind the bill. They've rescued 150 beagles since 2010. They've also saved other dogs used in research, as well as cats, rabbits, pigs and ponies.

The problem is, many facilities are unwilling to release the animals. They are afraid they will be publicly criticized for using animals.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? 

Right now the bill is in the California and Minnesota legislatures. Beagle Freedom Project has an action page where you can contact legislators, sign petitions and download materials to help spread awareness.

The  bill is also expected to be introduced in the New York legislature this session.

What about your state?

 
"While we are busy supporting campaigns in all these places for the bill’s passage we are also looking towards the future and investigating other opportunities to introduce," said Kevin Chase, director of operations with the Beagle Freedom Project. 

"That being said, we are a small organization with a limited staff and budget, and from that budget we can only spend 15 percent on political activities. With the three states we are in at present we are pretty much at our capacity for this session."

But next year, if you are interested in getting the bill passed in your state, BFP might be willing to work with you to make that happen.

You'll need to have sponsors in the legislature -- that means talking to your local lawmakers. 

If you're interested, contact BFP at: info@beaglefreedomproject.org.

Bogart and Indie, rescued beagles.

HUMANE COSMETICS ACT

In the U.S. House, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Virginia) is trying to end cosmetics testing in America -- H.R. 4148.

The bill would end testing on animals and also phase out the sale of cosmetics that are tested on animals in foreign countries.

Moran points to LUSH cosmetics as an example of a successful company that markets beauty products that are not tested on animals.

The bill has 22 co-sponsors but it's only been referred to one committee. 

A bill like this will require more bipartisan support. It also needs a companion bill in the U.S. Senate. 

How can you help? Find your representative on the U.S. House site and tell them that you want the bill to move forward.

The only reason that these laboratories exist is because they are successful at keeping it their dirty little secret. - See more at: http://www.lifewithbeagle.com/2013/02/beagle-freedom-project-shannon-keith-on.html#sthash.XJn0VIjf.dpuf

The only reason that these laboratories exist is because they are successful at keeping it their dirty little secret. - See more at: http://www.lifewithbeagle.com/2013/02/beagle-freedom-project-shannon-keith-on.html#sthash.XJn0VIjf.dpuf

The only reason that these laboratories exist is because they are successful at keeping it their dirty little secret. - See more at: http://www.lifewithbeagle.com/2013/02/beagle-freedom-project-shannon-keith-on.html#sthash.XJn0VIjf.dpuf

Where to shop cruelty-free: Cosmetics stores

When it comes to animal-testing, few areas have been more controversial than cosmetics. There are however a number of great companies out there that go cruelty-free.

But this is where I am at a loss. I've never been much into makeup, so this is not something I can speak from experience about.

So I asked Brittany Minor, who runs a well-known beauty blog called "Clumps of Mascara," to tell you some of her favorite cruelty-free products, and where to find them. Take it away, Brittany!

Guys and gals who love their furry friends and want to support cruelty-free cosmetics may think that cruelty-free items are difficult to find. Nope! Many brands are jumping on the bandwagon of animal kindness and cruelty-free products can now be found at just about every big name store. I’ve made a list of some of my favorite stores and the cruelty-free products that you can find there.

Sephora is a beauty lover’s playground. I hear angels singing every time I step foot in the massive store. However, the best way to look for cruelty-free brands at Sephora is by checking their online site. Most of the same brands sold online are sold in stores but the descriptions and ingredient information for brands and their products’ will be super beneficial to cruelty-free shoppers.

Some of my favorite cruelty-free brands at Sephora? Check out Tarte, Urban Decay and Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics.

Photo courtesy of Ulta.

Ulta is another specialty beauty store and I love them because they not only offer higher-end brands, but they have drugstore brands as well. Like Sephora, navigating their website to do a search on “cruelty-free” products is probably your best bet. I’ve also found that their salesgirls and salesguys are super helpful and can lead you in the direction of cruelty-free beauty products. My favorite Cruelty-free brands at Ulta include NYX, ecoTools brushes and Bare Minerals.

On a budget and would rather spend money on products that haven’t been sitting in warehouses for months at a time? I love shopping at Etsy because I really enjoy supporting smaller brands. If you’re looking into dabbling into mineral makeup, skincare products and lip balms, Etsy is fabulous place to head to. Aside from finding many vegan and all natural brands, most beauty brands on Etsy are cruelty-free.

• So, what are some of your favorite cruelty-free beauty products? Would you consider changing your makeup to go cruelty-free? Tell us below.

For product reviews, beauty tips and more, head to Clumps of Mascara, or check Brittany out on Twitter @clumpsofmascara.  

Plus, you check find the rest of our Cruelty-Free articles in Life With Beagle's Cruelty-Free Guide.

Speaking of Twitter, are you following me? Follow us @lifewithbeagle.

Where to buy cruelty-free: CVS and Walgreens

 We've checked out Target and Walmart for products that don't test on animals. This week, we are checking out pharmacies.


And the pharmacies by me are CVS and Walgreens.

 

Now, you would think a place that specializes in certain types of products would have more cruelty-free products. But they were tougher to find.

I found Burt's Bees easily at CVS, but much everything else was tougher to find. I will say though, the variety was different from the other stores.

Freeman Botanicals

Dickinson's Witch Hazel

Tom's of Maine Deodorant -- with a larger selection, and more expensive!

Paul Mitchell products.

Nuance by Salma Hayek -- Hair care and skincare products. These appear to be sold exclusively at CVS, and claim to be cruelty-free, though I can't find them on either the Leaping Bunny and PETA lists.

In the baby section, there was Burt's Bees and Seventh Generation products. There was also Little Twig products, which are on the PETA list. 

 

This is a brand new Walgreens. It's huge, open and airy. But it didn't have many products.

They had the Burt's Bees, the Paul Mitchell, the Tom's of Maine Deodorant and toothpaste, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, the Freeman Botanicals and they had Queen Helene products. I think they also had Rusk shampoo, but I was trying not to draw too much attention. Lots of people working at that store.

In the baby area they had two products: Babyganics, and live clean baby. The products claim to be cruelty-free, the live clean baby even has a bunny on the back. But they don't show up on either list.

 So some pharmacies have cruelty-free products, but they are extremely limited. And many are not even on the PETA or Leaping Bunny lists. I'm still trying to figure out what that means. 

NEXT WEEK: We will check out the supermarkets. That will be slightly harder, and should be interesting.