PeTA appeals to Ramadoss on Valentine's day to ''Have a Heart''

New Delhi, Feb 13 (UNI) The Valentine hysteria has caught the fancy of PeTA activists to press for their demand of outlawing cosmetic testing on animals in the country.

The activists today held a demonstration outside the office complex of Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, led by a ''Bunny'' holding a heart-shaped poster, reading ''Have a Heart: Ban Cosmetic Testing''.

The demonstrators, who wanted to present the poster to the Minister in person, were not allowed to enter the Nirman Bhawan complex, which houses the Health Ministry. Instead, they submitted a letter in the Health Minister's office.

''We are hopeful that the Valentine's Day appeal will be considered,'' said PeTA campaign Coordinator Dharmesh Solanki.

More than 600 companies around the world have banned all animal tests forever, he said.

''Hundreds of thousands of rabbits, mice and guinea pigs and other animals are poisoned, blinded and killed every year in outdated and ineffective product tests,'' he pointed out.

''It's 2008 and no one should be blinding rabbits and poisoning mice to create mascara,'' he added.

Next year, the European Union will implement a complete ban on testing of cosmetics on animals within the Union, including a prohibition on the marketing of cosmetic products tested on animals.

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