| | | | | NEWS HIGHLIGHTS July 2023 |  Weak Response to EU Cruelty-Free Citizens Initiative The European Commission provided a weak response to a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) that was seeking to uphold and fortify the 2013 European Union (EU) ban on animal-tested cosmetics. Although the “Save cruelty-free cosmetics – Commit to a Europe without animal testing" initiative had over 1.2 million supporters, the Commission ignored the primary issue of concern. However, it did state its willingness to move forward with a roadmap to phase out animal testing for industrial chemicals, pesticides, and medicines, including efforts to facilitate the development and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods. The European authorities had previously decided that the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) legislation required some cosmetic ingredients to undergo animal testing—not to evaluate consumer safety, for which animal testing is strictly banned, but for explicit concerns in REACH around worker safety and risk to the environment. That is why the ECI, led by animal protection organizations and cosmetic companies, was filed in January 2023. EU authorities claimed that, because there are two court cases considering the same question, they will wait for those outcomes and abide by that determination. However, without changes in the legistlation to explicitly say that animal testing for cosmetics is fully banned, regardless of purpose, those cases may not be favorable. |
|  A former University of Pennsylvania researcher was found guilty of “knowingly and intentionally” falsifying results in reporting the effects of drugs tested on piglets who were purposely given traumatic brain injuries. Although William Armstead, Ph.D., who received $7.7 million in National Institutes of Health grants, agreed to a seven-year moratorium on conducting federally funded research, this penalty does not erase the unnecessary suffering linked to his misconduct.
READ MORE » |  Published by Harvard Law School and New York University, a report called “Animal Markets and Zoonotic Disease in the U.S.” examines the link between confined animal operations, animal and human health, and zoonotic diseases that can spread from animals to humans. The report states that about 10 billion animals are raised for consumption in the U.S. and warns that reliance on animal agriculture and insufficient regulatory oversight makes the U.S. vulnerable to more infectious disease outbreaks.
READ MORE » | | | |
| | SANCTUARY MOMENT: Chimp Haven |  Jacob is 63 and lovin’ it! Look at this face! Jacob is such a charmer, and a flirt too, from what we’re told by our friends at the Chimp Haven sanctuary. Can you to believe he’s 63 years-old? Jacob is one of the oldest chimpanzees at Chimp Haven and has been living there for 17 years. Jacob is a member of a large family and, despite his arthritis, loves to climb to the top of play structures to enjoy grooming sessions and the panoramic views with his friends. He’s easygoing, loyal, and always close by when his pals are under the weather or in a bad mood. We’re so happy that Jacob is soaking in all that life has to offer in sanctuary. A longtime recipient of AAVS grants, Chimp Haven is home to more than 300 chimpanzees, most of whom were once used in research. But now they can experience much of what they would have enjoyed in the wild: climbing trees, living in large, bonded social groups, eating their favorite foods, running, playing, exploring, and—best of all—choosing how they spend their days. We’re grateful to Chimp Haven for providing a wonderful, enriching home so that Jacob and the other chimpanzees can live the chimp life!
Meet Jacob! » | | | | | | |
