Makers of Lipton tea to no longer test on animals

Over 40,000 animal rights supporters from around the world recently sent e-mails urging Unilever to stop testing tea on animals, practicing unnecessary animal cruelty. These emails prompted representatives from PETA and affiliates to fly to London to meet with Unilever, the world’s largest tea maker, and the company agreed to end such tests. Shortly after, a message was posted on the Unilever site that stated, ”Unilever is committing to no animal testing for our tea and tea-based beverages, with immediate effect.”

Cruel tests that involved tormenting and killing animals simply to study the health effects of tea products and ingredients will no longer take place at Unilever. It has been claimed that none of the experiments that the company ran were a legal requirement for beverage makers. Regulators have stated that animal tests are not required to prove a health claim about a product.

Original story on Peta

Cat intentionally set on fire in Baltimore

Mittens - lucky to be alive

Staff at Baltimore Area Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) are currently looking after a cat that was maliciously set on fire and, as a result, is suffering from third degree burns.

The cat, named ‘Mittens’ and her litter of kittens were confiscated and placed in the care of BARCS so Mittens can safely recover from her ordeal.

Witnesses of the event claim that the cat was thrown in a crate by her young owner, doused in lighter fluid and set on fire. The cat jumped out and extinguished herself. Being a recent mother of kittens she returned to the house to take care of her litter.

BARCS staff have stated that two people have been arrested in connection with this shocking crime, however the police have yet to confirm this either way.

Mittens is recovering and will stay at BARCS for the foreseeable future, until she is well enough for her and her kittens to go to a BARCS approved foster home. It is said her hair may not grow back in places where the burns were more severe. Once she has fully recovered, she will be available for adoption.

Clinton Young, a pet owner who lives near where the incident occurred, was appalled by the cruel act. ”I just can’t see how kids do that, but they do it,” he said. “I really don’t understand why they’d do something like that. A cat or a dog is a lovable animal.”

Donations are being accepted through the BARCS website or at the shelter located at 301 Stockholm Street in South Baltimore.

More on this story can be found on the WBAL website