California becomes the first U.S. state to ban cosmetic animal testing

California will become the first state to ban cosmetic animal tests, as well as forbid any product tested on animals from being sold to the public.

Upon being signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, the change is set to take place on January 1, 2020, which means that any brand related to animal-testing will be forbidden from doing business within the state.

The bill was introduced by California Senator Cathleen Galgiani and promises to put an end to a subject that has been discussed for years.

Galgiani addressed the importance of the state-wide ban during a press conference in August, arguing that California needed to give the example in the fight against animal cruelty. Follow us on our Twitter account @amomama_usa to learn more.

"Notwithstanding any other law, it is unlawful for a manufacturer to import for profit, sell, or offer for sale in this state, any cosmetic, if the cosmetic was developed or manufactured using an animal test that was conducted or contracted by the manufacturer, or any supplier of the manufacturer, on or after January 1, 2020.”

Senate Bill, California Legislative Information, September 7, 2018

SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE

The Senator went on to say that the bill SB 1249 will be crucial to delivering a serious blow to all the companies who rely on animal testing to put their products on the market.

Products such as deodorant, shampoo, perfumes and other items alike won't be allowed in the state in 2020, contributing to an animal-cruelty-free state.

CRUELTY-FREE COUNTRIES

But while California is the first state in the United States to officially go cruelty-free, this is not a new subject for countries such as India, Israel, and even the European Union, considering that they all have some measures against animal testing.

A CREATIVE JUDGE

Still, cosmetic testing isn't the only form of abuse when it comes to animals. Several people mistreat them on a daily basis, but Judge Michael Cicconetti of the Painesville Municipal Court has gotten creative with his sentences.

When Alyssa Morrow confessed to letting her dog live in a filthy dump for a week, the judge didn't take long to come up with a sentence and ordered her to stay in the stinkiest part of the dump for eight hours so she would know how her poor dog felt.