NEW YORK—Following several months of scrutiny and pressure from animal rights groups, glasses manufacturer Warby Parker issued an official apology Tuesday, expressing regret for years of testing trademark eyewear fashions on animals before introducing the styles to customers. “Though we no longer engage in the practice, from 2010 to 2015 we did conduct experiments in which hundreds of rabbits, owls, and mice were each fitted with five pairs of glasses representing a variety of looks both classic and modern, subtle and bold,” said Warby Parker spokesperson Yvette Davey, stating that the tests represented “a shameful and deeply regrettable chapter” in the company’s history, no matter how sharp and scholarly the animals looked during their trials. “This was wrong, and we are sorry. While no animals were physically harmed in our testing process, many were made to feel confused and uncomfortable after being forced to wear the wrong prescription, or a set of heavy frames that totally overwhelmed their face shape, and for that we can never apologize enough. No defenseless creature should ever be forced to try on the Fletcher, the Percey, the Tansley, the Tate, or any other Warby Parker design.” A statement from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals acknowledged the apology and reiterated that animals should never be used in such tests, even if many kittens and puppies do look “pretty fucking adorable” in glasses.

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