PETIGREE MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 | Page 18

P R I Z E S Noshaba Majeed Sheikh Animal testing should be eliminated because it violates animal rights, it causes pain and suffering to the experimental animals, and other means of testing product toxicity are available. Humans cannot justify making life better for themselves by randomly torturing and executing thousands of animals per year to per form laboratory experiments or to test products. Animals should be treated with respect and dignity and this right to decent treatment is not upheld when animals are exploited for selfish human gain. After all, humans are animals too. Archana Ashar We should absolutely boycott products that are heavily tested on animals. Public awareness should be imposed. We need to organise more campaigns, create awareness on how animal testing leads to animal cruelty and get lawmakers engaged. We need to see what our elected representatives can do to support humane alternatives to animal experiments, and write letters of support to lawmakers who already oppose animal testing. Piyali Muthha Most people are ignorant about the facts and myths of animal testing. Using social media, internet, Television and radio, the common myths about animal testing and other facts should be educated to people. People should know that there are more accurate, cheaper and faster alternative testing methods available. Most importantly two humans react differently to a product are we should not be foolish to trust results conducted on a 18 different species altogether. This education can also be imparted in schools. People should also be given the knowledge about how to identify products that do not encourage animal testing. Companies which are against animal testing should run campaigns to promote and educate people about the myths of using animal tested products. Mary P Joseph I think the most IMPORTANT thing is to create awareness that this planet belongs to both animals and humans. If life is precious to us its to them too, and we have no right to torture the other species. Banning the companies and organizations that are involved in this inhumane practice, and boycotting the products that are tested on animals is one way to create awareness. Laboratories that test on animals should face punishment. We must use social media for this cause and spread the word. WINNER Being a vegetarian for more than 25 years and an animal lover, I believe that animals should be treated fairly. Animals are not ours to use for experimentation. They feel pain and fear just as we do, and their overwhelming natural inclinations like ours are to be free and to protect their own lives, not to be locked in a small cage inside a laboratory, where they are subjected to abuse and suffering. Current laws are not enough to protect the rights and welfare of animals used in such tests. The easiest way that people