The Gentle Barn® has announced a special sponsorship from MyCHELLE Dermaceuticals® and CRYSTAL™ Deodorant. The two companies have sponsored The Gentle Barn in their mission to rescue 21 female bunnies from an animal testing lab. These bunnies have spent their lives enduring brutal conditions and living in extreme confinement while being subjected to testing. These animals experienced eye and skin irritations, severe allergic reactions, frail bones, internal organ issues and are terrified of humans.
“The process of rescuing these bunnies has been emotionally fraught but ultimately uplifting. We love to see them starting to cuddle, hop, play, and eating veggies for the first time in their lives. They are being treated by our veterinarians and are healing. We eventually will place them into loving homes of their very own.” said Ellie Laks, Founder of The Gentle Barn.
“Of course, we are absolutely devastated that anyone would intentionally harm creatures this pure, innocent, and precious. How can this be legal? We are grateful that like-minded, cruelty-free companies like MyCHELLE and CRYSTAL are stepping up to ensure that products we use harm no one, are good for our bodies, and model for the world that we never have to exploit anyone else to thrive. MyCHELLE gives us hope for the gentle world all animals deserve!” said Ellie.
The Gentle Barn is a national nonprofit organization, founded in 1999 as a sanctuary and place of recovery for severely abused animals and children. They rescue and rehabilitate animals from severe abuse and neglect who are too old, sick, lame, or scared to be adopted. The Gentle Barn has given sanctuary to horses, donkeys, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, turkeys, chickens, llamas, peacocks, emus, cats and dogs. Their unique philosophy connects the animals’ stories of survival and healing to the personal experiences of underserved and special needs children who have suffered physical, mental or emotional trauma. By interacting with The Gentle Barn’s approximately two hundred animals and taking a hands-on role in their welfare, those who participate in the programs at The Gentle Barn learn empathy, trust, and forgiveness.
“When MyCHELLE and CRYSTAL heard about this rescue mission, the brands aligned to support the Gentle Barn Team’s efforts in building a better future for these kind creatures,” said Carly Treister, MyCHELLE Brand Manager. MyCHELLE has been a pioneer in natural skincare since 2000 and is a brand dedicated to developing safe, cruelty-free products that are vegetarian and vegan friendly. Since its founding 35 years ago, CRYSTAL has been a vegan, non-toxic, mineral-based deodorant line focused on providing cruelty-free products.
“Animal testing continues to be a detestable problem in personal care products and cosmetics. MyCHELLE and CRYSTAL are both established brands that have been fundamentally built around the mission to create cruelty-free products that are good for you, environmentally friendly for the earth, and always effective. We are proud to sponsor the rescue of these beautiful bunnies and support The Gentle Barn in their impactful and uplifting work.” said Catie Wiggy, Vice President of Marketing for MyCHELLE and CRYSTAL.
“That old saying ‘out of sight out of mind’ is an outdated thing to say, especially in the world we live in, where consumers, not companies, lead the way.” Says Jay Weiner, Cofounder of The Gentle Barn. “With all the information we have, purchasing a product that has been tested on animals, is simply a statement that one doesn’t care about animals or the environment. CRYSTAL has committed not only to be vegan and cruelty-free but also to help clean up the mess that cruel companies have left behind. That is why their support of this rescue is so paramount.” said Weiner.
All the bunnies at The Gentle Barn will be available for adoption into loving homes. They are all spayed females between 6-12 months old and will live up to 10 years. They must be indoor pets, can use a litter box, and get along with other animals if the other animals are kind to them. If you live in or near Los Angeles, CA, and are interested in adopting a bunny pair visit www.gentlebarn.org/bunny-adoption.
