Cosmetic Cruelty: Powerful short film highlighting the gruesome cruelty of animal testing

I remember hearing the term “animal testing” being used since I was in elementary school. But as a naive child, I underestimated the disturbance those words held. Procedures within the cosmetic industry are performed on living animals to see how effective certain chemicals and products are — leaving most test animals harmed and sometimes killed. After watching “Save Ralph,” a stop-motion animation short film on YouTube, I’ll be rethinking my purchasing habits. 

Produced by the Human Society International, “Save Ralph” follows a wild rabbit named Ralph as he goes about his daily routine as a tester in a lab.

Humanized to appear as though he’s being interviewed for a documentary, Ralph opens the film by explaining his current state — blind in his right eye and deaf in his left ear. It then cuts to him brushing his teeth, explaining the results from cosmetic testing left chemical burns down his back — making each and every move painful. “We do it for the humans,” Ralph says. 

Within seconds I was feeling guilty for not being conscious about buying cruelty-free products, oblivious to how damaging they are to animals. It was hard to listen to Ralph explain the deaths of each of his family members in the lab — and how he most likely will have a similar fate.

With the underlying erriness of this film, I couldn’t help but wince at the thought of an animal being abused for the sake of humans. The film’s ominous portrayal of what happens in cosmetic labs was scarring to see. As Ralph is locked in a lab alongside his rabbit friends, he repeats that the animals “do it for the humans”.

The producers succeed in humanizing the bunny to illustrate how terrible lab treatment is on animals. With his cute British accent and kind soul, Ralph comes across as a friendly, likable character so the thought of him being harmed in any way is upsetting. “Save Ralph” director Spencer Susser said below the video, “It’s so important that Ralph feels real because he represents countless real animals who suffer every day.”

After being tested on, Ralph returns from the lab in a neck brace and in excruciating pain. He’s now blind in both eyes and on the verge of death. There’s no doubt “Save Ralph” left an  imprint on me, and I immediately found myself signing the petition linked below the video, pledging to be cruelty free.

Signing The Humane Society International pledge, I felt one step closer to preventing other animals like Ralph from being harmed. #SaveRalph is a way The Humane Society promotes awareness to shine light on the horrid behind the scenes of animal testing for cosmetics on social media. 

This film gives kids and adults a real perspective of the harmful results that come from animal testing. After finishing the 3 minute and 53 second short film, I started researching all the products I use from skin care to makeup. Some of my go-to makeup products from MAC, Maybelline, L’oreal and Benefit were not cruelty-free.

Ralph was the perfect wake-up call to the disturbing lengths brands will go to test their products’ safety. Now every time I purchase a skin, beauty or makeup item, I will research the company to make sure no animals were harmed in the process of creating it.