Act now: Let Parliament know you support animals' rights and the Animal Protection Amendment Bill

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.

With that thought, the Animals Protection Amendment Bill – introduced as a Private Member’s Bill in the South African Parliament, by Cheryllyn Dudley of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) – is open for public comment now. The purpose is to amend two Acts, the Animals Protection Act of 1962 and the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act of 1972.

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.

We encourage 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.

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A selection of images from the Celebration of the Feast of St. Francis and the Blessing of the Animals at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town, October 2017. © St George's Cathedral/Facebook

You can see the whole Bill here.