ReadingAnimals

Last week there were causes for both celebration and sorrow for chimpanzees living in captivity in the US: some find a new home and another passes on. Both stories will tug at your heart strings.

Chimpanzees safe in sanctuary home

Seven chimpanzees who had been used in scientific experiments for decades finally arrived at their new sanctuary home in Washington state. Sunlight, fresh air and space to roam are all part of the new lives that the animals will have at the sanctuary.

The $150,000 sanctuary is much larger than the animals’ previous 200-square-foot home, a windowless basement where they were used for breeding and hepatitis B vaccine research.

A happy welcome to Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, Missy and Negra! Countries all around the world, including Austria, New Zealand, and Liberia, have banned or abandoned experiments on chimpanzees and other great apes altogether. The U.S. is a holdout in allowing them to continue.It is time for this country to retire all chimpanzees in labs to sanctuary homes where their well-being is the singular priority.

Please support The Great Ape Protection Act, HR 5852 that would make this a reality for 600 chimpanzees now “owned” by the federal government. Are your legislators sponsoring and supporting?

Rest In Peace Rustie: 23-year old chimpanzee dies in zoo

Last week was also a time for mourning, with the death of Rustie who was kept by the Maryland zoo. Chimpanzees often live to be 50 or more, but Rusty was only 23. She had been sick for several days and dies while under anesthesia at the zoo. Rusty was originally used in experiments, and then used in zoo exhibits during the last 13 years of her life. She is survived by two daughters, Raven and Rozi, and eight other friends who remain in the zoo.

Many chimpanzees have been injured or have died due to complications with sedation or anesthetics. A study in 2007 reported that the risk of death for chimpanzees who were notes as “sick” before being anesthetized were more than 25 times more likely to die from anesthetics complications than deemed “healthy.”