The most effective way that any person can reduce animal suffering is to refuse to buy cruel products. Anyone who cares about animals should examine their lifestyle and eliminate actions and products that cause harm.

Consider how your shopping affects animals. For example:

• fur, even small bits of trim, comes from animals caught in cruel traps or kept in small wire cages;
• Akubra hats – each Akubra hat is made from the fur of 10-12 killed rabbits;
• leather is the skin of slaughtered animals;
• feather down in doonas or sleeping bags comes from slaughtered birds;
• wool involves the cruelty of mulesing and tailing, and all sheep end up at the slaughterhouse;
• some souvenirs such as toy koalas are made out of animal parts, such as kangaroo skin; there have even been accunts of those cute little cat and dog figureines sold in stores that have fur on them are REAL dog and cat fur.
• raw silk is boiled out of silk worms.

Personal and household products can also involve cruelty. They may be tested on animals, or they may contain slaughterhouse products such as:

• tallow, animal fat boiled out of slaughterhouse waste and used for most soaps;
• gelatine, from the ligaments and feet of slaughtered animals; mostly horses
• elastin and collagen, from slaughtered animals.

Here is a checklist of ways to begin your cruelty free, peaceful life:

1. Go vegan. The best way to begin a cruelty-free life is to not eat animal-based foods, including eggs and dairy products.
2. Buy products that say they are cruelty-free. This means they have not been tested on animals. Read the labels. This includes cosmetics, toiletries, household cleaners and laundry products.
3. Avoid buying anything not labeled cruelty-free unless you know for a fact that the manufacturer does not test on animals.
4. Use leather alternatives. They've come a long way, and many look and feel like the real thing.
5. Avoid anything made of real fur. This includes clothing and novelty items. Pet toys are sometimes made with real fur. Check before you buy.
6. Read labels carefully. Animal-derived ingredients appear when least expected. Collagen, for example, is normally derived from animals. So is gelatin!
7. Look it up. If you're unsure about the origin of an ingredient, there are several books on the market to assist consumers in deciphering ingredients. You can also find relevant information on Web sites.
8. Stick with companies that you know do not use animal-derived ingredients and do not test their products on animals.
9. Avoid down products. Synthetics are very advanced now and tend to be warmer, lighter and less allergenic than goose or duck down.
10. Be an example! Show others that cruelty free living is the best way to live!

Tips:

• There are hundreds of companies making everything from hair dye to shoe polish that do not test their products on animals. Many also do not use animal-derived ingredients in their products. In addition to being cruelty-free, these products tend to be less toxic to both people and the environment.
• Let companies know why you are not using their products. Tell them you only buy cruelty-free products. This will make a difference. More and more companies are getting away from animal testing.

Here is a list of useful links to help you on your peaceful, cruelty free journey:
Vegetarian Food
Peta Living This has everything from Companies that do/do not test, to Charities that do/do not test and animal alternatives!(you got it! I don't give money to ANY charity that animal tests!)

If you, too, believe that Cruelty Free Living is Peaceful Living, please join "Cruelty Free Living, Peaceful Living" webring and spread the awareness!