Cruelty Free International

Founded14 June 1898; 126 years ago (1898-06-14)
FounderFrances Power Cobbe
Founded atBristol, England
FocusAnimal testing, vivisection, animal rights
Location
  • London
MethodEducation, research, lobbying, investigations, undercover work in laboratories, and lawsuits
Key people
Michelle Thew
Websitecrueltyfreeinternational.org

Cruelty Free International is a British animal rights and advocacy group that campaigns for the abolition of all animal testing. It organises certification of cruelty-free products which are marked with the symbol of a leaping bunny.[1]

It was founded in 1898 by Irish writer and suffragette, Frances Power Cobbe, as the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. In 2012, the BUAV joined with the New England Anti-Vivisection Society to establish a new international organisation to campaign against the testing of cosmetics on animals—Cruelty Free International. This was launched by BUAV supporter Ricky Gervais.[2] In 2015, the parent organisation merged into this new organization, taking its name and branding for all its activities.[3]

  1. ^ Shop Cruelty Free, Cruelty Free International, archived from the original on 21 March 2012
  2. ^ Caroline Frost (15 March 2012), "Ricky Gervais Fronts Cruelty Free International Crusade To End Cosmetic Tests On Animals", Huffington Post
  3. ^ Merger of animal rights groups, Press Association, 1 June 2015