After more than a decade of scientific research, negotiations, and lobbying by PETA, PETA U.K., and other groups, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has approved new, non-animal testing methods for measuring skin irritation. Now, across the world, rabbits will be spared as the standard way of testing for skin irritation is switched over to high-tech modern methods. This really is a global deal: The OECD produces binding safety testing guidelines for its more than 30 member nations—including the U.S.—and represents almost all of the world's largest economies. Many countries that aren't members also follow the OECD's guidelines.

Animal-friendly methods employ in vitro toxicity screening, "skin" grown in laboratories, and computer models. While non-animal methods have been recognized for some time as valid for testing corrosivity (whether something will permanently damage the skin), these are the first methods to be recognized as effective in measuring skin irritation, thus allowing for a complete assessment of skin effects without the use of animals.

Pam is one of thousands of people who have taken action to get outdated animal testing procedures replaced with methods that rely on new technology. The bunny in her poster is a victim of the type of test that the OECD is replacing.

The methods that have just been adopted by the OECD use reconstructed human skin models that successfully reproduce the effect of chemicals on human skin and allow reliable, accurate measurements of damage in a way that applying chemicals to the shaved, raw skin of rabbits can not. Besides the pain and distress caused to the rabbits who are used in such tests, evidence considered by the OECD also included the fact that animal tests do not accurately measure whether a substance is likely to be an irritant to human skin—in other words, these methods will be better at protecting us too.

We're particularly proud that PETA U.K. played an integral role in this process. Our affiliate financially supported the rigorous scientific testing of one of the non-animal methods that were just approved, and this helped to produce the scientific evidence that led the OECD to green-light the method. And on the U.S. side of things, PETA has given more than $850,000 over the past 10 years to the development and implementation of non-animal testing methods.

Thanks to this news, tens of thousands of rabbits a year will no longer suffer in these tests. And that should make us all feel pretty good.

Written by Shawna Flavell

Rama / CC by 2.0 France

The Onion—in a 2004 article that was recently re-posted on the front page of the gag mag's website—says scientists torture mice just for laughs. This "report" is so cleverly written that when I sent it to Kathy Guillermo, PETA's vice president of laboratory investigations, she had "palpitations," as she put it.

Sorry, Kathy, didn't mean to trick you into thinking that vivisectors had finally come clean and admitted that mice aren't good stand-ins for humans. But wouldn't it be great if they really were as refreshingly honest as this "researcher"?

While Ellen Gresham is a figment of The Onion's imagination, the fact that modern, high-tech alternatives to experiments on animals are faster, cheaper, and more accurate is very real. In fact, one more such test, EpiDerm, was just approved last week by the international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. While we're on the subject, why not drop a line to your congressional representative reminding him or her of that?

Written by Alisa Mullins

Boxes containing the remains of more than 750 raccoon dogs were found in a Netherlands meadow last week. The pelts were missing the strip of fur down the center of the animals' backs, a tell-tale sign that the animals were likely skinned to make fur collars and cuffs.

Although there are no known raccoon dog fur farms in the Netherlands, thousands of these animals are bred and skinned on fur farms in China and their pelts are shipped all over the world for sale. (Our videos show that many are still conscious when they're skinned.) The collars and cuffs on coats in your local store may be from them.

While the authorities in Holland hunt for the culprits, let's help save raccoon dogs and other animals from becoming fashion victims by sharing this video—which even YouTube won't show—with everyone we know and urging them never to buy or wear real fur.

Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post

Former NHL enforcer Georges Laraque may be retired, but don't call him a snowbird (he's 33—I don't think he meets the age requirement). Not only is his second vegan restaurant scheduled to open on August 5, he's also getting fired up to use his new role as deputy leader of Canada's Green Party to promote the many pluses of a humane, healthy, environmentally friendly vegan diet.

I'd say the Green Party has scored big time by landing "Big George"—after all, he's proved time and time again that he's a lean, green, cruelty-fighting machine. Let's watch him in action:

Georges Laraque is determined to improve life for animals and people: "[T]hat's what I was born for, to change the world." Words to live by.

Written by Karin Bennett

Fancy a bout of the runs, severe fever, septicemia, or perhaps meningitis? Then head on out and get yourself a snake or other reptile as a pet. According to a recent report, hundreds of people were exposed to salmonella bacteria from dead mice they were feeding to their reptiles—but that's just the tip of the iceberg. For years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been sounding the alarm about contact with reptiles because every year tens of thousands of people in the U.S. contract salmonellosis—a serious bug that can land you in the hospital … or worse—as a result of direct or indirect contact with reptiles. In the last year, there have been two other reptile-related salmonella outbreaks, one tied to the sale of pet turtles and the other to the sale of African dwarf frogs.

Should pet stores give away a free hospital stay with each reptile they sell? You tell us. Meanwhile, please help stop the wobbly stomach blues (not to mention the blues that every snake and lizard who's stuck in an aquarium must experience) by adding your support to the proposal by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ban the sale of nine species of snake.

Written by Jennifer O'Connor