Chimpanzees are more closely related to humans than they are to gorillas. Chimpanzees and humans share the same blood types and have at least 95 percent genetic similarity. These highly intelligent animals have long childhoods, cooperate with and learn from each other, participate in cultural and social activities such as dancing in the rain, make and use tools, and even learn sign language if given the opportunity to do so.(1)

Endangered Species in Decline
Once home to at least a million chimpanzees, Africa now has a chimpanzee population of only 250,000 because their habitats continue to be threatened by commercial and agricultural development and because they are hunted for meat.(2) The Jane Goodall Institute estimates that 5,000 chimpanzees are killed by poachers annually.(3) Orphaned chimps are taken for the pet trade. Both species of chimpanzees, pan paniscus and pan troglodytes, are listed as endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources’ Red List.(4) The U.S. Department of the Interior also lists them as endangered and threatened.(5)

Victims of Research
There are approximately 2,400 captive chimpanzees in the United States, 1,700 of whom are used in research.(6) Eight federally funded research centers use primates, including chimpanzees, as “models” to study AIDS, hepatitis, cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, leprosy, heart disease, and other human health problems—even though chimpanzees would never contract these ailments under normal circumstances.(7) Most other captive chimpanzees in the U.S. are confined to zoos or used and abused in the entertainment industry. Only about 500 live in sanctuaries.(8)


The federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH) officially oversees the use of chimpanzees in experiments through its Chimpanzee Management Program (ChiMP), which funds the chimpanzee colonies used in NIH’s Chimpanzee Biomedical Research Program. The government’s track record is appalling. In 1993, an NIH-funded chimpanzee colony passed into the hands of the Coulston Foundation, which—after decades of serious complaints—was charged by the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture with violations of the Good Laboratory Practices and the minimum standards of the federal Animal Welfare Act.(9,10) In 2000, NIH took ownership of nearly half the Coulston chimpanzees, and in 2001, NIH finally made the decision to completely discontinue its financial support of Coulston.(11) Coulston subsequently went out of business.(12)

CHIMP Act
In the 1980s, the NIH began an intensive breeding program to supply chimpanzees for AIDS and HIV research, only to find that chimpanzees do not contract human AIDS. Under pressure from animal-protection groups, ChiMP passed the CHIMP Act, which established a system of sanctuaries for government-owned chimpanzees who were no longer “needed” for federally funded research protocols.(13) But even this does not offer protection for chimpanzees, as experimenters were able to successfully amend the CHIMP Act to allow them to continue to experiment on "retired" chimpanzees.

What You Can Do
Before you donate to a health charity, ask whether it funds animal experiments. Don’t contribute until you have a written guarantee that animals are not being used. Let charities and service organizations that fund animal tests know that you only give to those that don’t harm animals.


Most colleges and universities have laboratories that conduct animal experiments. For information on the experiments being conducted and to voice your opinion, please contact the school directly.

Resources
(1) Roger Highfield, “These Chimps Are Fishing for Ants … But Does This Make Them Cultured?” The Daily Telegraph, 30 Oct. 2002.
(2) New Vision, “Uganda: We Must Save Our Cousins the Chimps,” Africa News, 28 Jan. 2003.
(3) Kate Lahey, “Simon Is a Prime Mate for Uganda’s Needy Chimpanzees,” North Shore Times, 14 Feb. 2003.
(4) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 15 Jun. 2004.
(5) U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, “Chimpanzee, Pygmy,” and “Chimpanzee, ” Species Information, Threatened and Endangered Animals and Plants,15 Jun. 2004.
(6) Jane Goodall Institute, “Chimp Facts,” SavetheChimps.org, last accessed 15 Jun. 2004.
(7) Division of Comparative Medicine (NCRR/NIH), National Institutes of Health, National Center for Research Resources, Information Sheet, 28 Jul. 2003.
(8) Jane Goodall Institute.
(9) Dr. David A. Lepay, letter to Frederick Coulston, Division of Scientific Investigations, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Department of Heath and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Ref. no. 99-HFD-45-1201.
(10) Shannon Lee Brown, “Surplus Chimps Stranded in Research Controversy,” The Washington Post, 15 May 2001.
(11) Rene Romo, “Researcher Gives Up Chimps,” Albuquerque Journal, 22 Sep. 2002.
(12) Deborah Baker, “Appeals Court Orders Coulston to Turn Over Records,” Associated Press, 19 Mar. 2004.
(13) William J. Clinton, “Clinton Statement on Chimpanzee Health Act,” The White House, 20 Dec. 2000.
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If you're a fan of the award-winning reality series Animal Precinct, then you've already seen the ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement's Supervisory Special Investigator Annemarie Lucas in action. But did you know that you, too, can help crack down on animal cruelty in your own community? Read on for Officer Lucas's take on making the world a safer place for animals:

1. Be aware. Without phone calls from the concerned citizens who report cruelty in their neighborhoods, we wouldn't know about most instances of animal abuse. It all comes from the public, it all starts with YOU—that's why it's so important to keep your eyes and ears open. Get to know and look out for the animals in your neighborhood. By being aware, you're more likely to notice, for example, that the dog next door who was once hefty has lost weight rapidly—a possible indicator of abuse.

2. Learn to recognize animal cruelty. Here are some signs and symptoms that we see in many of the cases we investigate:

- Tick or flea infestations. Such a condition, if left untreated by a veterinarian, can lead to an animal's death.
- Wounds on the body.
- Patches of missing hair.
- Extremely thin, starving animals.
- Limping.
- An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal.
- Dogs who are repeatedly left alone without food and water, often chained up in a yard.
- Dogs who have been hit by cars-or are showing any of the signs listed above-and have not been taken to a veterinarian.
- Dogs who are kept outside without shelter in extreme weather conditions.
- Animals who cower in fear or act aggressively when approached by their owners.

3. Know who to call to report animal cruelty. We're lucky here at the ASPCA in New York City, because we have Humane Law Enforcement officers who have the power to investigate and arrest perpetrators of animal cruelty in the state of New York. But every state and even every town is different. In some areas, you may have to rely on the police department to investigate animal cruelty; in others, you may have to contact local animal control or another municipal agency. If you aren't sure where to report cruelty, you can search our online Humane Law Enforcement directory or ask your local humane organization.

4. Provide as much as information as possible when reporting animal cruelty. The details that you provide can go a long way toward assisting the investigating officer. It helps to write down the type of cruelty that you witnessed, who was involved, the date of the incident and where it took place.

5. Call or write your local law enforcement department and let them know that investigating animal cruelty should be a priority. Animal cruelty is a CRIME—and the police MUST investigate these crimes.

6. Know your state's animal cruelty laws. These vary from state to state, and even from city to city. You can visit the ASPCA's website and get a wallet-sized printout with outlines of the animal welfare laws in all 50 states.

7. Fight for the passage of strong anti-cruelty laws on federal, state and local levels by joining the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade. It's frustrating when I have built a strong case against someone who has been arrested for cruelty to animals and the judge treats it like a simple violation. But with stronger laws, they'll be more likely to receive tougher penalties. As an ASPCA Advocacy Brigade member, you'll receive emails asking you to write letters encouraging your legislators to pass these laws-and you can send them directly from our website.

8. Set a good example for others. If you have pets, be sure to always show them the love and good care that they deserve. But it's more than just food, water, and adequate shelter. If you think your animal is sick, bring him to the veterinarian. Be responsible and have your animals spayed or neutered. And I always give my own pets lots of hugs when I get home!

9. Talk to your kids about how to treat animals with kindness and respect. I regularly see children in homes where animal abuse has been reported. If a parent isn't treating the family's pets right, I tell kids that their dog or cat would really appreciate fresh water every day, or if they spent some time playing with them. If the animal has been left outside without shelter, I'll say, 'You have a nice house, and if you get cold, you can put a coat on. But your dog can't do that. Don't you think he'd like a nice warm place to go, too?' I know of families who watch Animal Precinct together, and I think this can help children understand that animals are living creatures who have the ability to feel pain, joy and sadness. You can see these emotions on the faces of the animals on the show.

10. Support your local shelter or animal rescue organization. Before I even knew that police for animals existed, I was volunteering at an animal shelter. It's a great way to make a difference. Some of our ASPCA volunteers foster animals who have been abused in their former homes, giving these dogs and cats the chance they deserve to have a good life. You can find a list of shelters and rescue groups in your area in our National Shelter Directory.

steven
Date: Mar 24, 2006 7:34 PM







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Living creatures are suffering for your comfort.








This is wrong to the highest level. Please help spread awareness of the animals that go through testing. It is not right and should be stopped. The following images are of animals that have been used for consumer product testing. They are graphic.