India Becomes A Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Nation

India will ban the import of cosmetics that have been tested on animals anywhere in the world after Nov. 13. Coming just months after India heeded our call to ban domestic animal testing for cosmetics, this latest move assures that cosmetics sold in the country will no longer be associated with animal suffering. With the European Union enacting a similar ban, two giant economic markets have adopted sweeping policies to usher in a new era in cosmetics testing.

Humane Society International's Be Cruelty-Free campaigners played a decisive role in securing this victory. They worked closely with government agencies and, in June, met with India's minister of health and family welfare to present a petition of more than 70,000 signatures from citizens supporting an import ban. Our campaigners also helped secure the support of more than 30 legislators for the ban with the help of Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, a longtime animal advocate, government minister, and founder of India's largest animal protection organization, People for Animals.

This victory is just the latest in a series of significant reforms in India. The Animal Welfare Board of India recently declared battery cages for hens inconsistent with the nation's animal cruelty laws, and we've helped persuade the majority of state governments to follow suit. We've also worked with the Ministry of Environment and Forests to crack down on the trade in shark fins and other illegal wildlife products. India is fast joining the EU as a global leader in animal welfare.

HSI's Be Cruelty-Free campaign also helped convince Chinese authorities to drop animal testing requirements for some products sold there. Now our campaign is working with partner groups in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea, and Taiwan to secure bans on the sale of all cosmetics tested on animals. You can join our campaign and sign the global pledge to be cruelty free here.

It's long past time for the United States to get with the program. Cruel tests for cosmetics are sadly still happening in America, even though cruelty-free alternatives exist. The HSUS and the Humane Society Legislative Fund are leading the fight for the passage of the Humane Cosmetics Act in Congress, which would bring an end to animal testing for all cosmetics made or sold in America. Let your legislator know that you support it.

In the meantime, you are in a position to make a cruelty-free decision every time you shop for cosmetics. You can use the Leaping Bunny guide to find brands that don't test on animals. Or you can shop at cruelty-free stores like LUSH and The Body Shop. You can also join the conversation on Twitter using #BeCrueltyFree.

It is a major moment when the world's second most populous country gets on board with positive animal welfare reforms. Now it's time to redouble our efforts in other parts of the world to achieve a global ban on cosmetic testing on animals.