SAFCEI public statement on the Animal Protection Amendment Bill

The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) welcomes the publication of the Animals Protection Amendment Bill. The bill is now open for public comment. It seeks to prohibit the sale and manufacturing of cosmetics tested on animals in South Africa, as well as criminalise both the testing of cosmetics on animals and the failure to provide an animal with an appropriate environment.

The purpose of the Animals Protection Amendment Bill – introduced as a Private Member’s Bill, by Cheryllyn Dudley of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) – is to amend two Acts, the Animals Protection Act of 1962 and the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act of 1972.

Dr Elisa Galgut, who teaches in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town and is a member of the Jewish community ,argues that “Inflicting suffering on animals for such trivial reasons is ethically untenable.  As people of faith, we need to stand by our fellow creatures. Testing cosmetics on animals is both unnecessary and inhumane, and this Bill aims to put some of the legal responsibility back in our hands,” says Galgut.

Frank Molteno, a Christian and coordinator of SAFCEI’s animal-rights work, says that non-human animals are living beings who experience pleasure and pain, just as humans do and as God’s creatures deserve protection from unnecessary suffering.

“It is wrong for people to treat animals as mere objects to be used and abused at will. As an organisation that works to secure the Earth’s bounty and beauty for present and future generations, we encourage citizens to reject products that have been tested on animals and also to promote the protection of all animals. I pray that people see the interconnectedness of all life on this planet,” says Molteno.

SAFCEI, a multi-faith NGO which emphasizes the spiritual, moral and ethical imperative to care for the Earth and the community of all life, well known for its role in stopping the nuclear deal earlier this year and its ongoing work in the anti-nuclear campaign – calls upon all political parties represented in Parliament, to support the Animals Protection Amendment Bill.

SAFCEI asserts that testing cosmetics on animals is not only cruel but also pointless, because a product that has tested ‘safe’ for use on non-human animals is not guaranteed to be ‘safe’ for use on humans.

“SAFCEI also encourages people of faith and all active and caring South African citizens to submit written representations on the proposed contents of the Bill to the Speaker of the National Assembly by 30 December 2017,” adds Molteno.

Such representations can be delivered to the Speaker, New Assembly Building, Parliament Street, Cape Town or posted to the Speaker, P O Box 15, Cape Town 8000 or emailed to speaker@parliament.gov.za and copied to cdudley@parliament.gov.za.

Submissions can also be sent via a helpful submissions page available on the SAFCEI website via this link: http://safcei.org/act-now-animal-protection-amendment-bill/

Find a copy of the bill here: /uploads/ACDP-Animals-Protection-Amendment-Bill-Mrs-C-Dudley-171122.pdf

ENDS

Issued by Natasha Adonis, on behalf of SAFCEI. For more information, contact Natasha on 0797-999-654 or adonisnatasha@yahoo.co.uk.

Note to Editor:

• See Notice 942 of 2017 in Government Gazette No. 41289, 30 November 2017 for the Bill, introduced by Cheryllyn Dudley of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP).