It’s A Good Day To Be A Bunny: China Phasing Out Animal Testing

On the heels of an announcement from The Humane Society, bunnies and mice everywhere can rest easier tonight. China's Food & Drug Administration is planning to phase out its requirement that domestically manufactured cosmetics be tested on animals. Starting in June 2014, Chinese companies will have the option to determine the safety of a product based on existing data. On behalf of our 300,000 fluffy friends victimized each year by such testing, this is truly a reason to rejoice.

While this will initially only effect cosmetics made in China, it's possible that it could be expanded to include imported cosmetics — meaning companies already employing cruelty-free policies could sell in China without breaking regulations.

Troy Seidle, director of The Humane Society International's Be Cruelty-Free project, says, "We will meet with Beijing officials in the coming days to look closely at the detail of this cosmetics announcement, but it looks like there could at last be a bright future for cruelty-free companies in China and hope on the horizon for an end to cosmetics cruelty."

In February, the EU banned the import and sale of cosmetics that have been tested on animals. We're hoping that China following suit will make it a global trend. No one should have to suffer for our beauty — especially not the tiny creatures who have no choice.