Company FAQ

There is no cost to applying and becoming Leaping Bunny certified. The only cost is an optional one; if you decide to license our logo for use on your packaging, website, or social media feeds, you would pay a one-time fee based on a your company's gross annual sales that ranges from $500 to $4,500. 

This is an unchangeable date after which no animal testing can occur at any level, from ingredients to formulations to finished products. It must be declared before/during the time of certification. 

The application itself consists of several parts. The company applying for certification must complete the Application for Approval and collect signed declarations from all of your manufacturers and/or suppliers. The delay in completing usually is found when manufacturers/suppliers have not returned the form. We suggest you follow up with them to avoid delays. We process completed applications weekly but we do not expedite special cases. 

Yes. Since ingredients are required to be listed by law, we focus solely on animal testing claims, which are not regulated. Therefore, we are not a vegan certifier. 

In order to be Leaping Bunny certified, your company must make products covered under our Standard. Personal care products, include without limitation, products for the hair (e.g., shampoo, conditioner, coloring agents, depilatory agents), skin (e.g., soap, moisturizer, sunscreen, aftershave, antiperspirant, deodorant, talcum powder, bubble bath), mouth (e.g., toothpaste, mouthwash), nails (e.g., nail polish, polish remover), perfume, cologne, lipstick, eye shadow and liner, and rouge. Cosmetics also means personal care products marketed or regulated as over-the-counter drugs (e.g., toothpaste marketed with the claim of fighting cavities, mouthwash marketed with the claim of killing germs). Household products include without limitation laundry and dish detergent, bleach, cleaners and cleansers, floor wax, furniture polish, and air fresheners. Household Products do not include paint and paint remover, varnish and other stains, chemical drain declogger, or insecticide.

No. We certify by brand/company, not by product to remove ambiguity or confusion for shoppers and to encourage a supply chain entirely free of animal testing. 

You are always able to sign into your account and see the status of the completed declarations. When you login, scroll down to your supplier/manufacturer section. Declarations that are completed say "View completed form." Those we are still waiting on say "Resend declaration." You can also resend declarations at any time to your suppliers and/or manufacturers by clicking on "Resend declaration" as well as review their email addresses to ensure their accuracy.

In the interest of fairness, we process completed applications in the order we receive them. We know many companies are looking for approval for packaging design, getting approved by a retailer, etc. but our best advice for quick processing is to follow up with your suppliers/manufacturers to make sure they have completed their declaration(s). 

No. In order to become Leaping Bunny certified, a company must complete our own application. We do this to ensure all brands are meeting the same criteria. 

No. All companies must apply for their own certification and if approved, license the logo separately. If your supplier or manufacturer is already certified, the good news is that it should be easy to get them to return your declaration. 

Only companies that sell finished products under their own brand name are eligible for certification. We do not certify manufacturers or suppliers (i.e. private labelers) unless they also have their own brand that they sell.

The logo licensing option will only be visible in your company portal once your company has been Leaping Bunny certified. We understand that you may have deadlines for your packaging, launch, etc. but unfortunately, we cannot grant permission to use the logo until a company is approved.

We have a graphic you are welcome to use and share. Please contact [email protected] for more information. We also offer all companies a wide variety of marketing opportunities to help you get the word out about your company. They are free of charge! 

If you wish to include text with the logo, you must contact CCIC Administrator for approval. The color of the logo must not be altered, i.e. it must appear in one solid color or in the black/blue version sent to you. 

The Leaping Bunny Logo is used by both CCIC, which is based in the US and Canada and Cruelty Free International (CFI), which is based in the United Kingdom. CFI certifies companies headquartered outside the US and Canada and uses a different version of the logo. Please note that certified companies can be listed as cruelty-free on both CFI and CCIC lists interchangeably. Generally speaking, the logo can be used internationally, but if you have specific questions, please email us at [email protected]. 

No, European Law prohibits associating general claims with the Leaping Bunny Logo.

In lieu of proof of gross annual sales, we will accept a statement from a Senior Executive which states that the company agrees to the responsibility of the highest logo licensing fee (which is $4500), and will pay for an independent audit (which is between $500 and $1000). Companies agree to an audit when they complete the Application for Approval. Our Standard states that companies making over $10M gross annual sales must pay for the audit. Leaping Bunny pays for the audit for all companies making less than $10M gross annual sales.

Our audits are done to make sure a certified company's Supplier Monitoring System is free of animal testing. This is done by making sure a company is ordering/purchasing ingredients and/or formulations from suppliers and/or manufacturers we have on file for them. Our auditor will randomly select products in your inventory, ask to see proof of purchase for specific ingredients or formulations, and check to make sure the corresponding supplier or manufacturer has a declaration on file in our system saying they do not test on animals. 

We do not certify suppliers or manufacturers. We only certify companies that sell finished products under their own label. In the event that a supplier or manufacturer manufacturers products under its own label for retail sales, that entity can get certified for their brand only, but they would still need to fill out a declaration for any company seeking Leaping Bunny certification that purchases raw materials, formulations and/or finished products from them.