Boycott Companies That Are Inhumane and Cruel to Animals

Boycott for Animal Rights

Every time you go shopping or buy a product you are essentially voting with your pocketbook, and it directly impacts a company’s bottom line. Putting consumer pressure on companies and industries by abstaining from using or buying their products is an effective way to get their attention, change business policies, and end the needless suffering of animals. Money is sometimes the only language a company understands, and one way they will listen, is to boycott companies that are inhumane and cruel to animals.

Be An Ethical and Humane Consumer

Boycotts have been very effective at reducing cruelty to animals and improving animal welfare, and historically—boycotts have been extremely effective in bringing about progressive social change. In addition to changing corporate and industry policies and systemic and entrenched business thinking, they work to change long-term consumer buying habits and raise awareness about issues that consumers may be unaware of. Money speaks volumes in business, and the old proverbial saying “Put your money where your mouth is,” gets attention and demonstrates that consumers are not willing to buy products or services that are cruel and inhumane to animals.

Launch A Personal Boycott

You can personally boycott a brand, product or company simply by refusing to buy any products from that particular company or brand. But to be even more effective, take the next step and call the company’s toll-free line listed on the label or packaging to voice your complaint and announce that you’re boycotting their products or services and why. Ask for the company’s mailing address and the email addresses of the executive team, and write a personal letter and/or email to the executive team (President, CEO, Vice Presidents) asking them to change and to stop any animal cruelty or practices that are inhumane or cause animals to suffer, and that you will only support a humane, ethical economy.

Join An Organized Boycott

There are a number of organizations that are very active in organizing animal rights boycotts including Ethical Consumer, PETA, Companion Animals Protection Society (CAPS), Humane Farming Association’s (HFA), and Buycott has animal welfare campaigns you can join once you create an account. These organization’s websites list the companies they are boycotting for their inhumane treatment of animals. All Creatures has a list of campaigns to help end animal abuse and Action Alerts to raise awareness about issues that can lead to boycotts and letter-writing campaigns.

Some success stories of boycotts for animal rights include Humane Farming Association’s (HFA) National Veal Boycott, which brought veal production from a high of 3.4 million calves to the current level of well under 600,000. The Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT) has been very effective in getting clothing brands and retail stores to stop buying fur. The boycott of Seaworld for cruelty to orcas is changing Seaworld’s policies. PETA’s campaign to boycott Ringling Brother’s Circus has helped improve the treatment of elephants and banned Ringling Brothers from visiting some U.S. cities. And PETA’s current campaign against KFC is asking consumers to boycott KFC for supporting cruelty to chickens while asking KFC to adopt an animal welfare program with specific recommendations. Boycotting companies that test personal care, beauty and household products on animals, has led to a significant increase in new cruelty-free brands and has encouraged older brands to stop testing on animals. You can see PETA’s full list of cruelty-free brands here.

So go out and vote with your pocketbook, join a boycott and start your own—and help bring about a humane and ethical economy that treats animals with the respect they deserve.

SaveSave