A new advertising campaign for Fiat (in the United Kingdom) shows animals in car cashes.

The campaign shows animals that are regarded as symbols of environmental protection/ destruction: pandas, penguins, and walruses. The ads are supposed to convey the idea that Fiat is working on ways to “reduce environmental impact.”

It’s disturbing to see those ads, even if they’re photoshopped, because it’s a sad reminder of the past.

Vehicle safety testing such as crash tests used to be done on human cadavers and on animals. Often pigs were used because they’re internal anatomy is similar to human anatomy. GM used chimpanzees because of the similarities to humans. Cadavers were great models, but there were many moral objections and not enough cadavers.

Then crash test dummies were invented and after some time they were finally accepted as the new standard.

Looking back, it’s easy to see the problems with using animals to test vehicle safety. And it’s easy to imagine the resulting viable alternative: crash test dummies. But only a few decades ago, large motor companies gave some of the same excuses that today’s pharmaceutical companies give. They ignore the viable alternatives to animal experiments. They just keep doing what they’ve always done.

It’s time for a change. Let’s stop using animals, period.

Let’s create a new standard: respect and compassion for animals.

And if you’re serious about “reducing your environmental impact,” GO VEGAN!

(hat tip: ecorazzi)

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Sections: Vegan Et Cetera, Vegan Theory
Topics: animal experiments, animal testing, cars, crash tests, environment, Fiat, safety, science, veg, Vegan, vivisection