Please take a look at some frequently asked questions, then feel free to contact us if you don’t find your answer.
7,000? That’s the largest database?
Looking at the totals from all the certifying organizations, you’d think we’d add up to close to 10,000 by now. But like we said, we “maintain” the largest database. We don’t just show every company that’s ever been certified. That means removing hundreds of companies with duplicate approvals from the same certifying organization, companies that went out of business, companies that we now can’t find or confirm contact information, and companies that turn out not to be compliant. Today’s exact count is 7,174 companies.
What if there’s an error in a listing?
On every listing page, you’ll find a Report button near the bottom. That’s the most efficient way to let us know there’s a problem, as it will be directed to the people who can fix it fastest for you.
Why isn’t my Favorites working?
Favorites are reliant on cookies, which must be enabled. If you delete your cookies, you delete your entries. It may not be perfect, but it keeps you from needing to sign up and log in to use the feature.
Where are the company descriptions?
Whether or not a company has a description is largely a function of the organization that certified it. For example, PETA has mostly a list of names with website links, so that’s what we get when we find out the company’s been certified. In other cases, the company simply may not have volunteered a description. All WGW Partners have full listings with descriptions, as do the majority of the Verified Plus companies.
Can I add information to a listing?
WGW Partners have full control over their listings and can modify the content and special offers at any time. If a company isn’t certified by us, their place in the database is simply a service to our readers, namely to confirm that the company has in fact been certified by one of the three programs. Given that and that we shouldn’t be writing content for other companies, we need to keep it at simply what the certifier provided.
Why aren’t I finding products on Amazon?
Not all the listed companies are on Amazon, and if they are it doesn’t necessarily mean all their inventory is available there. When a company doesn’t give us a specific Amazon store URL, we’ll conduct a general search for them so you can at least see if buying on Amazon is an option. Be sure to scroll past the sponsored listings at the top of the page too. Paid listings always show up first and may not match a search.
What if I find a company isn’t compliant?
We take non-compliance very seriously. In fact there’s a termination clause in our agreement that extends all the way to unintentionally incomplete information. We verify everything we can at both the company and their suppliers, but there is a certain amount of trust that has to be involved. We can’t verify what we don’t know. If you believe we’ve been misled, don’t hesitate to contact us below right away.
Is selling in China an automatic violation?
It’s not automatic, but usually yes. There are circumstances where companies or products are exempted from the government requirements for animal testing. There’s also a program through a company called Knudsen & Co which, in partnership with Cruelty Free International, is trying to get Leaping Bunny certified products into China with such an exception. If a company is in that program or otherwise holds an exception, we may have still certified them. If you have a concern and find a company on our list selling in China, feel free to play it safe and let us know.
Where and in what industries do you certify?
We certify globally! As to industries, we know cruelty free certification is usually limited to cosmetics and household goods because those are the industries where animal testing is most common. But there are other industries where animal testing takes place, for example safety equipment or a small batch organic chemical company you wouldn’t even think to consider. Even if the public doesn’t expect a company is in an industry where animal testing takes place, if they have a product line where it’s possible we don’t want to deny them a chance to step up and show they don’t.