Animal Rights Outcry Comes to Actress’s Door

About 50 animal rights supporters--including one dressed in a rabbit costume--demonstrated Saturday outside Cybill Shepherd’s home in Sherman Oaks, charging that the actress profits from a cosmetics company that tortures mice when testing products.

The protest, sponsored by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, targeted Shepherd for her work promoting L’Oreal cosmetics. Animal rights activists accused the Paris-based company of “blinding, poisoning and torturing animals,” to test its products--a charge an attorney for the company vehemently denied.

“We did an undercover investigation on L’Oreal and we found they fried live mice to test their sunscreen makeup,” said Dan Mathews, a spokesman for the animal rights group. “Their methods are barbaric and unnecessary.”

Three of the protesters handcuffed themselves to the gate outside Shepherd’s home in the 16000 block of Royal Oak Drive for about three hours before leaving peacefully. There were no arrests and no injuries. Police and private security guards were stationed nearby throughout the demonstration.

Shepherd’s publicist could not be reached for comment Saturday.

The animal rights activists, who chanted “this house was bought with blood,” believe that Shepherd may have some clout with corporate executives to change the research methods.

Mathews said that cosmetics companies such as Avon, Revlon, Estee Lauder and Benetton have changed their testing methods in part because of similar pressure from the animal rights movement.

“There is no need for them to use these techniques,” Mathews said “There are plenty of companies that are making a lot of money in cosmetics without torturing animals.”

“We’ve stopped testing on animals in the United States for over two years,” John D. Sullivan, a New York attorney representing L’Oreal, said in a telephone interview. “L’Oreal in Paris has reduced animal testing by using alternative methods . . . . They use animal tests on less than 1% of their new products. Eliminating animal testing . . . is their corporate goal.”

Among the protesters was actress Sara Gilbert, 17, who plays Roseanne Arnold’s daughter, Darlene, on the hit television show “Roseanne.”

Gilbert, who lives a few blocks away from Shepherd, said she has been involved in animal rights activities for several years.

“Celebrities have a duty to not be indifferent to suffering,” said Gilbert, a vegetarian who will publicize her views by wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “Meat Stinks” on next week’s episode. She also defended the tactic of protesting outside Shepherd’s home to embarrass her.

“I think she’s embarrassing herself,” Gilbert said. “If you’re going to work for a company that does animal tests, then you have to carry the baggage.”

Wendy Iscove, 46, Shepherd’s next-door neighbor, talked with the activists for about 20 minutes and then agreed to support their goals.

“I’ve been aware of animal testing issues in the past,” she said. “I will definitely be boycotting the product from now on.”