LUSH: Fighting Animal Testing

At LUSH, a company well involved in the fight against animal testing, they have been fighting against animal testing for over 30 years. The company produces various cosmetic items (such as lotions and bath bombs) and they believe that cosmetic companies too easily slip into the "commonplace" of testing their products and ingredients on animals to ensure they wont be harmful to humans or the environment. LUSH has in place strict policies preventing the company from buying raw ingredients from any manufacturer or supplier who test their products on animals, and they advocate the use of alternative (non-animal) testing methods. They state that "animals should not suffer for the sake of cosmetics" and are helping to bring an end to animal cruelty by setting a better example for other cosmetic companies and their suppliers. 

Descartes argued that animals are not conscious beings, and they their actions can be explained in purely mechanistic terms, using scientific explanation. If LUSH, too, agreed with Descartes' belief, they would have no real reason to advocate against animal testing. They must believe that these tests cause significant distress to the animal being tested on, and therefore they must also believe that the animal is a conscious being that suffers greatly from these tests. They argue that it is not legally required to test on animals. All that is required by law is the products used in finished products comply with federal safety standards, which can be proven using non-animal testing methods. 

(http://www.lushusa.com/Still-Fighting-Against-Animal-Testing/about-animal-introduction,en_US,pg.html)