Animal testing is a horrible event where an animal is forced to undergo something that is likely to cause them pain, suffering, distress, or lasting harm. Animals used for testing are purposefully harmed, not for their own good, and are usually killed at the end of the experiment.
These experiments may involve force-feeding animals with potentially harmful substances, surgically removing their organs or tissues to deliberately cause damage, forcing them to inhale toxic gases, or subjecting them to frightening situations to create anxiety and stress.
Some experiments even require animals to die as part of the experiment. Regulatory tests for botox, vaccinations, and various chemical safety tests, for example, are essentially variations on the horrific Lethal Dose 50 test, in which 50% of the animals die or are murdered right before death.
According to PETA, each year, more than 110 million animals — mice, rats, frogs, dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, monkeys, fish, and birds — are killed in U.S laboratories for biology lessons, medical training, curiosity-driven experimentation, and chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics testing.
If you’re an animal lover like us and can’t fathom such cruelty in today’s age, then a great way to make a difference is by contributing to a charity that is effectively implementing solutions to abolish animal testing, whether it’s by influencing policy makers, performing animal rescues, or funding alternative research.
These Are The Best 5 Charities Against Animal Testing
Below are our favorite charities dedicated to abolishing animal testing:
- Animal-Free Research UK
- Cruelty-Free International
- Rise for Animals
- Royal Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals
- Alternatives Research and Development Foundation
At the end of this article, we also share information to help you select the best charity to contribute to, and this can be applied to other causes you may be interested in. We also show you how you can best support these charities and how you can save some money by claiming tax deductions.
1. Animal-Free Research UK
Founded in 1970 by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (now known as Cruelty-Free Research), the Animal-Free Research UK was initially named the Dr. Hadwen Trust for Human Research. Considered one of the UK’s leading non-animal medical research charities, they provide grants to scientists that implement and develop new techniques that will replace animal experiments.
Impact Overview
In 2021 (date to the most recent annual impact report), Animal-Free Research UK funded 38 projects, including pilot studies that have seen implemented animal-free techniques with results directly applicable to human patients. These studies concerned the use of human cells and tissues, as well as organ-on-a-chip and stem cell technology.
Apart from funding, Animal-Free Research UK has also been actively influencing policy. They’re securing a voice in parliament by ensuring that the conversation toward abolishing animal testing is had whether it’s by encouraging people to write to their MPs or publishing open letters in reputable media publications.
In conjunction with Cruelty-Free International and OneKind, they’ve launched a petition that got over 101,000 signatures urging the government to recognize the urgent need to use animal-free science and publish a clear and ambitious plan with timetables and milestones to drive the phase-out of animal experiments.
Transparency Rating
Unfortunately, Animal-Free Research UK is not listed on third-party websites such as Charity Navigator or Guidestar, but even so, they’ve been providing the public with annual impact reports as well as detailed financial statements since 2014 on their official website.
How to Contribute
If you wish to contribute to Animal-Free Research UK, you can do so through a simple donation (via money or crypto), or you can also set up a fundraising event. They also accept parting gifts in the form of real estate or other assets.
2. Cruelty-Free International
Once known as the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, Cruelty-Free International is now one of the leading anti-animal testing charities. You’ll be familiar with their logo on cruelty-free products, namely the leaping bunny.
Impact Overview
In 1996, Cruelty-Free International launched the Leaping Bunny program, which is essentially a cruelty-free certification for non-animal tested products. More than 700 companies across the globe already hold a Leaping Bunny certification, which helps ethical consumers who want to identify and buy products free from animal testing.
Alongside Body Shop, they’ve also managed to get 8 million signatures for a petition called Forever Against Animal Testing, putting the issue of animal testing in cosmetics on the global agenda by taking the petition to the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
Cruelty-Free International has also championed a vote in September 2021 (through its sister organization Cruelty-Free Europe) to end animal testing and research in the European Union. Only 4 MEPs have opposed the resolution, which essentially asks for an action plan to definitely phase-out animal testing.
Transparency Rating
Although it’s not listed on Charity Navigator and Guidestar, you can access Cruelty-Free International’s financial records by visiting the UK government’s website. They have records that go up to March 2022.
How to Contribute
Cruelty-Free International accepts single and regular donations, and they also have a shop where they sell different “cruelty-free” merchandise. You can also create a fundraiser or partake in a fundraising event.
3. Rise For Animals
Previously called NEAVS or the New England Anti-Vivisection Society, the Rise for Animals has been stacking victories over the years ever since it was founded in 1895.
Impact Overview
Rise for Animals is an animal rights organization that protects and saves animals by adopting grassroots activism and advocating for policy changes in parliament. They uncover torture against animals in labs through rigorous investigation from their researchers, help from whistleblowers, and bold legal action from partner attorneys. Additionally, they also have a dedicated rescue team that sets out to rescue and rehome animals tortured in cruel medical experiments.
You can find various accounts of investigations and rescues conducted in order to save animals from cruel medical experiments on Rise for Animals’ official website. They also have initiatives that seek to pass legislation into law, for instance, they advocate for the Pet Safety and Protection Act, a legislation that looks to stop stray animals—many of which are missing pets and companion animals—from being sold into research; block the sale of “random source” dogs and cats to labs, and get rid of existing financial incentives for the illicit procurement of dogs and cats sold to labs.
Transparency Rating
Charity Navigator rates Rise for Animals with an 84% rating (three-star charity), and Guidestar has given the organization a bronze seal of transparency. They also have annual reports available on their official website with information about revenue and expenses. However, the reports are only available up to 2019.
How to Contribute
You can contribute to Rise for Animals with a single or regular donation, or you can also help them by co-signing their letters to urge lawmakers or decision-makers to support cruelty-free laws, actions, etc.
4. Royal Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals
Founded in 1824, the RSPCA is the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in the world. It was formed by a group including Arthur Broome, a London vicar, Richard Martin, and William Wilberforce, more famous for his role in the abolition of slavery.
Impact Overview
RSPCA has been quite active in 2022 to guarantee certain laws remain unchanged, and so that more animal-protecting policies can be enacted into law.
They’ve helped introduce the Penalties Notices Act, which means fines can be handed out by enforcement authorities to owners tethering innocent horses in a way that neglects their basic needs, pet breeders who fail to microchip vulnerable puppies before they are rehomed, or farmers continuing to transport “livestock” that isn’t fit for travel.
Other bills they’ve been pushing for in parliament are the phasing out of lab animals, and the Kept Animals bill, which pledges to ban the live exports of animals, the import of helpless puppies, and primates being cruelty kept as pets in English homes.
They’ve also campaigned successfully for the approved Animal Sentience law that recognizes any vertebrate (other than humans), any cephalopod mollusk, and any decapod crustacean (such as lobsters and crabs) as a sentient being, something that wasn’t recognized in the eyes of the law until lately.
Transparency Rating
Although it’s not listed on Charity Navigator or Guidestar, the RSPCA has very detailed annual reports where it provides you with a full summary of what’s been achieved that year as well as audited financial information concerning the revenue and expenses of the charity.
How to Contribute
You can help the RSPCA by doing a single or recurring donation, sponsoring a dog or a cat, or leaving a legacy (this could be a physical asset), or you can also dedicate your time by volunteering at events or campaigning for animal welfare.
5. Alternatives Research and Development Foundation
Established in 1993, Alternatives Research and Development Foundation (ARDF) is an organization dedicated to inventing alternative, non-animal testing methods that can supplant current ones.
Impact Overview
They essentially fund research projects that come up with alternative methods or use an alternative approach in research, testing, and education. They achieve this through their Annual Open Grant Program, which has provided over $4 million in funds for projects in 31 states and 5 countries.
Experts reviewers evaluate proposals sent to ARDF based on scientific merit and feasibility, as well as the potential to reduce or replace the use of animals. The maximum grant is $40,000. This program stimulates innovation, which is what animals in labs need at this moment.
ARDF also supports scientific meetings across the globe, participates in regulatory and industry meetings, and provides free consultations with media representatives, scientists, and government officials. Part of this process also involves engaging in legal advocacy to promote the acceptance and use of alternative testing methods.
Transparency Rating
ARDF is listed on Charity Navigator with a 100% rating (4-star charity), which is naturally the highest score you can get. They also have a platinum seal of transparency on Guidestar. However, I haven’t been able to find any annual reports or financial statements on their official website. Though, to achieve such high ratings on third-party websites, they need to be able to provide different documents/records to validate their impact and transparency rating.
How to Contribute
Based on the information we found on ARDF’s official website, the only way to support them is through a single donation. That is currently the only option they have available.
How To Select The Best Charities To Support
If you’re deeply against animal testing and wish to donate to a charity that advocates against all forms of animal cruelty including animal testing, there’s some research that needs to be done in order to ensure that your donation is as impactful as it can be.
Although we have included 5 charities with the very noble mission of ending animal cruelty and testing, you may want to learn how to choose the best charities to support in case you decide to support different charities.
Here are some tips to help you find the best charities to donate to:
- Start by visiting the charity’s website. Look for information about its history, mission, and values. A transparent and reputable organization will be open about its goals and progress.
- Charities have to be clear about their mission. If a charity doesn’t have a clear and specific goal, it’s unlikely that it will be able to achieve meaningful change. Also, look for a charity with realistic and attainable goals. Ambitious but not impossible.
- Track record of success. Look for charities that have achieved their past goals. They should have quarterly or annual impact reports that lay out their progress and accomplishments. If they’re consistently coming short, look for a different charity.
- Review the charity’s financial statements. On top of impact reports, charities should also have financial reports, preferably audited by an independent auditor. You need to be able to determine if your money is being well-spent or just going into someone’s pocket.
- Talk to people who worked for or benefited from the charity. Talking to someone that has personally benefited or has had first-hand experience with the charity will give you a far great insight than just researching online.
Most people donate to charities without first doing research, but that’s not making a difference. If you want to make sure your donation truly helps endangered elephants, you have to help charities that ACTUALLY make an impact. Much like the government and businesses need to be accountable for their misdeeds, charities shouldn’t be exempt from that responsibility.
How To Best Support These Charities
There are many ways to support your favorite charities, but in the end, it will come down to how many resources you have, and how much time you can dedicate to the cause.
Here are a few ways you can help your favorite charity:
- Donate money. What most people tend to do is make a financial contribution. This can be a one-time or recurring donation. Some also give away their own belongings (say, food, clothes, among other things).
- Volunteer your time. Most charities can’t afford labor but they still have to make things happen — this is where volunteers come in! Consider donating your time and skills to a cause that aligns with your values and interests.
- Shop with a purpose. Look for opportunities to support charities when you shop. Some companies donate a portion of their profits to charities, or you can choose to buy products from charities that want to raise money by selling merchandise. Shirts, caps, pencils, mugs, you name it. If you frequently buy from Amazon, consider their Amazon Smile program. If you set this up, your charity of choice will receive a fraction of your online purchases.
- Host a fundraising event. If you’ve got a solid network of friends, family, or social media followers, consider mobilizing everyone to take part in a fun event — this could be a dinner, a marathon (or hike), a raffle, a trivia tournament, a golf tournament… anything you can think of! There are many ideas you could implement.
- Raise awareness. Seems simple, but it’s really powerful. Sharing the message with friends, family, or your social media followers can also make a difference. The more people know about the great work that’s been done, the more they’ll be willing to contribute. Never stop sharing!
So many ways to support your favorite causes, so choose the one that is best suited for you.
Claim a Tax Deduction For Your Charitable Donations
Better than donating to your favorite charity is being able to donate to your favorite charity and save some money in the process. Yes, if you live in the United States, your donations may be tax deductible.
To claim a tax deduction, you need to itemize your deductions on your federal income tax return using Schedule A (Form 1040 or 1040-SR).
Follow these instructions to claim a tax deduction for your charitable donation:
- Make sure that the organization you’re donating to is a qualified charitable organization. The IRS website has a list of qualified organizations on its official website.
- Keep records of your donations. This includes things such as receipts, bank statements, or other documents that show the name of the organization, the date of the donation, and the amount donated.
- Use Schedule A (Form 1040 or 1040-SR) to claim your charitable donations. You will need to enter the total amount of your donations on the form.
- Deliver your filled-out Schedule A alongside your federal income tax return form.
The video below is also a useful resource if you want to learn more about tax-deductible donations.
The Bottom Line
Fortunately, there are several charities that are pushing for alternatives that don’t sacrifice our furry friends, so it’s up to you to choose the one you wish to support.
Whether you choose one that is more effective at influencing policy, or one that takes a grassroots approach to spreading the word, or one that is involved in the scientific process and attempting to find viable alternatives, there is surely a charity out there that you can connect to.
Regardless of the charity you pick, just know that you’re effectively causing change so that we can finally take the cruelty out of science.
