On January 18, 2017, TMZ released a video featuring a German Shepherd terrified of being thrown into rushing water while on the set of the highly anticipated film, “A Dog’s Purpose.” With word traveling fast, animal activists across the globe alongside Hollywood starlets and PETA, People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals, jumped to the defense of the animals in the film.

As a result of the backlash, Universal Studios’ Los Angeles premiere had to be canceled and investigations for animal abuse chargers linger. Actors on set of the movie have continuously denied any allegations of abuse towards the animals and Dennis Quaid, one of the leads in the movie, reportedly stated he would have “walked” if he had noticed any abuse. It is important to point out that TMZ had received the story and video back in 2015, yet held onto it just before the movie was ready for release in theaters. If you ask me, that seems a little sketchy on TMZ part. It seems that if TMZ true interest was for the safety of the animals, then they would have released it once they received it to halt production. This is just another case of the media gaining ratings, rather than bringing light to an issue that has the potential to be very serious. For now, the investigation continues and all animal lovers will have to wait to receive the honest truth.

Now, let’s get to the real reason why the whole “animal activist” gig has caught my interest. I found it interesting how horribly everyone surrounding the turmoil felt about animal abuse and claimed how “wrong” it is. Yet, it find it quite ironic that a large majority of individuals that are angered by the film use products that harm animals each day. After poking around the Internet to do my own research, I stumbled upon PETA website to find an image of all the products that test on animals.

Keep in mind, PETA does not believe in the consumption of animals, wearing animals as clothing, killing animals for sport, or abusing animals, among other things. After viewing this list, I realized that I myself use a majority of these products. Therefore, if I want to be truly be mad about a dog supposedly getting thrown into rushing water and jump on the Facebook bandwagon of hate(yes, I coined that phrase all by myself), then maybe I should be frustrated with myself for using products from companies that partake in animal testing.

But Jillian, why does the United States allow this kind of treatment towards animals.

Well my dead readers, this is where the slippery slope begins. According to the FD&C, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, regulators from the FDA make sure that products are safe and labeled as they should be. Nevertheless, the FDA does not clearly state whether or not animals should be tested on. The FDA urges that cosmetic companies should employ whatever testing that they feel is necessary for the safety of their product. To put this quite literally, the FDA turns a blind eye and allows cosmetic companies to do as they while manufacturing products that we use daily.

With everything in mind, I find this information to be an informative research exploration. Do I personally plan to drop everything and become a vegan/vegetarian and spend tons of money on “cruelty-free products”? Absolutely not. I cannot live without a damn good steak here and there. Side notes, if you are one of those people who chooses to live vegan/vegetarian whole heartedly or at least makes an effort, I applaud you. However, I believe this whole incident is the perfect reality check for those who think this whole “Dog’s Purpose” Scandal is taboo and that animal abuse is some magical thing that only happens when animals are obviously abused or a news outlet reports on it.

Sure, it brings attention to one instance of animal abuse, but I urge you to reach out for more information about animal cruelty. After conducting a poll on my twitter account, I found that 25% of the 24 individuals sampled said, “animal testing is a part of life,” while 8% stated, “no, it makes me feel bad.” Where is the other 67 percent? Well, 67 percent of the individuals sampled stated, “I try to minimize my usage.” In the end, whether you believe that animal testing is “a part of life” or “something you do not do”, you do have the choice to either limit or cut out animal cruelty products. I encourage you to do your own research rather than jumping to conclusions on a story that the media releases two years after it happens. Here is a link to some amazing cruelty-free products. A change for animals starts with you. After all, we may not be perfect when it comes to animal cruelty, but we can still try and limit our choices.