E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
NBC News
A chimp is sedated to draw blood in their efforts to find a cure for Hepatitis C, a potentially deadly virus, at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. Government scientists now want hundreds of research chimps like this one to be retired to a national sanctuary.
Government scientists have agreed that all but 50 of hundreds of chimpanzees kept for federally funded research should be retired from labs and sent to a national sanctuary.
The proposal from a National Institutes of Health committee also said all of the chimps should have plenty of room to play and climb.
The NIH Council of Councils Working Group approved the proposal on Tuesday. It also calls for major cuts in grants to study chimps in laboratories and no return to breeding them for research.
Nine chimpanzees arrived Tuesday at Chimp Haven outside Shreveport, La., from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's New Iberia Research Center, which no longer has an NIH chimp research contract. Seven more are expected Thursday and another 95 will arrive over the coming months, sanctuary officials said.
The federal agency said in 2011 that it would phase out most invasive research on chimpanzees. The new 86-page recommendation describes how chimpanzees should be kept and what will be needed for any future research. Chimps should be used only if there is no other way to study a threat to human health, and the research should be approved by an independent committee with members from the public, said the Council of Councils proposal, which will be sent to the NIH director after a 60-day public-comment period.
Animal welfare activists said they were pleased by the recommendations.
"At last, our federal government understands: A chimpanzee should no more live in a laboratory than a human should live in a phone booth," the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said in a statement.
Chimp Haven was created on 200 acres of a Caddo Parish park in Keithville in northwest Louisiana.
"We should see more than 300 chimpanzees getting moved to the federal sanctuary system," said Kathleen Conlee, the Humane Society of the United States' vice president for animal research issues.
But Conlee said she was disappointed by the recommendation to keep a group of about 50 in case further research on chimpanzees is approved.
"But I'm glad they made clear those animals should be kept to much higher standards than they are currently being kept in," she said.
Chimpanzees should be kept in groups of at least seven, with about 1,000 square feet of outdoor space per chimp — roughly one-sixth of an acre for a group of seven, according to the proposal.
The space must include year-round outdoor access with a variety of natural surfaces such as grass, dirt and mulch, and enough climbing space to let all members of large troupes travel, feed and rest well above the ground, and with material to let them build new nests each day, the report said.
Chimp Haven's enclosures range from a quarter-acre to five acres, some of them forested and all with climbing structures.
The announcement that the first animals had arrived was delayed a day to keep stress on them to a minimum, officials said.
"Understandably, the chimpanzees are nervous when they arrive, and we do everything possible to ease their stress. That includes limiting the number of people in the area to only those who are required to help with the chimpanzees. We also must minimize the risks of the chimpanzees being exposed to communicable diseases," veterinarian Raven Jackson said in the news release.
A $30 million cap on total spending for construction and care of Chimp Haven's retirees has been looming. That would stop NIH from contributing 75 percent of the $13,000 annual cost to care for each federal chimpanzee.
Conlee said the Humane Society will urge Congress to move money now spent on research contracts to Chimp Haven. The sanctuary gives the animals better care for less money than the labs are paid, she said.
Rock Center received unprecedented access to the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas where chimpanzees are being experimented on to find a cure for Hepatitis C, a potentially deadly virus affecting four million Americans. Scientists at the lab say that testing on chimpanzees saves human lives. But world-renowned primatologist, Dr. Jane Goodall, says that testing on chimps is morally wrong, and that it's time to retire these chimps to a sanctuary. To see what retirement looks like, Rock Center visits the National Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Louisiana, Chimp Haven. NBC News Senior Investigative Correspondent Lisa Myers' full report airs Monday, Jan. 30 at 10 pm/9c on NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams.
Related: A question of freedom for chimpanzees who spend lives in research labs
Leave a Comment:
The key word here is "most". I am glad they will still keep some for their research, at least I hope. Unless of course some of the PETA members want to step up to be guinea pigs for medical research, and I don't see any of them volunteering for that, they should keep some for this purpose.
I agree 100%!
Testing on lab animals is unfortunate and sad but, I would rather see thousands of rats, rabbits and chimps die in testing and experimentation than to see even one person die needlessly because the medicine they needed was not developed in time to save them.
So... I guess it all comes down to whether or not you think an animals life is as valuable or more valuable than a humans. I for one, do not think so.
In my mind, if you would rather see humans die to save a few animals, your priorities are @!$%#ed!
If these scientists could truthfully say that this would not hinder research and development AT ALL I would be all for it. But, I seriously doubt that that is the case at all.
Seriousl? Thousands of dead rats, rabbits and chimps for one human? Humans are THAT important?
I bet if Rabbits were the dominant species, they'd think they're more important too.
Get out of your selfish box.
I'm not saying that it should not be done as humanely as possible.
All of the medical advances that have brought our lifespans from 40years to 80, came about through the deaths of countless research animals.
Are you really willling to give up that kind of progress?
I guess it does not matter what side of the political fence you are on anymore...everyone in this country wants to take us backwards!!!!!
Of course it all make sense now! This is only government research labs right? Ok now I get it...one more step in privatizing anything worth a @!$%#!
"Living" is a nurd. I suggest we kill everything on the earth so that one man, or fetus, or sperm, or egg, can survive. That seems reasonable.
Really Truth and Living, it is fine to keep testing on some of the chimps? Have our #s suddenly DROPPED? Are there no longer SEVEN BILLION + people on the planet? If that is the case, lets round up all we can.
As it is NOT the case, how about we do the Earth a favor and let Nature do her job?
Everyone knows that we are supposed to die, right? You have X malady, X is a terminal maladay, that's your fate. Enjoy what you have in life, run up a lot of debt if it tickles you, but accept your fate and live what you have. Quit prolonging the inevitable! Face it, not one of us on NBC news is the top 1% of our species. If we were, we'd not be showcasing that we're the the top of our species.
Why is that so hard?
I would like to see all research conducted on welfare recipients. It would provide for the most reliable results and the worst thing that can happen isn't so bad.
There isn't anyone out there who wouldn't trade thousands of dead rats, rabbits, and chimps for their life of THEIR child.
If not, would they look their child in the eye and tell them that not one more than ten rabbits, or some number, would be sacrificed to save them?
Get real, the only time an animals life is more important to you than a human is if the human in question isn't important to you.
Just what we need, more pressure on Social Security. Did these chimps pay in? Are they of retirement age, or will they be collecting unemployment?
Dinsmo is really a very nice person../sarc (s)he only sounds evil and subhuman when cowardly hiding behind his keyboard & monitor.
sandungo I'm not being subhuman or evil I'm offering a solution that would work for everyone especially the national debt
dinsmo - what about children who were born into poor families? do you want to experiment and punish them too?
If they are interested in earning some cash for their service then yes. And its not called punish its called providing a service in exchange for money similar to what the slight majority of Americans do every day.
Dambit, and we almost had a cure for aids.
They will need new government jobs and should apply for Congress positions. They would be much more effective..........
It's about time ALL were retired, we as humans are despicable, this is 2013.
Finally someone with a great and accurate post.
Well GOOD. It is about da*n time that they do this. Chimpanzees are so smart...smarter than most human beings it seems and less evil for sure. I hope they can live out the rest of their lives in peace. So, so sad.
Oh yeah...smater than humans...and less EVIL? I guess you never read the news about these chimps ripping peoples' faces off. We are only one rung up the evolutionary ladder and I don't want to go back...
Are you kidding me!?
This had got to be one of the stupidest statements I have heard in a long ass time!
Don't feel too bad though, I hear stuff like this all the time, from people who otherwise seem to be mentally competent.
Your statement gives me the same kind of disgusted shudder that goes up and down my spine everytime I hear some idiot say that they love their dogs as much as parents love their children. Listening to that @!$%# is like taking a slap in the face!
Completely oblivious to the realities of life...
I for one would rather see thousands of animals die in testing and experimentation than to see even one person die because the development of the drug they needed was slowed due to lack of primate testing.
Are you kidding me?!?
That statement gives me the same kind of disgusted shudder that goes up and down my spine everytime I here someone say that they love their dog as much as parents love their children. Give me a @!$%#ing break!
Damn vine is so buggy nowadays! My first post disapeared so I made a second less abrasive post and then the original reapears and it won't let me edit the second post. Ever since they took the MS back off the front of MSNBC, the vine has gone to hell. You can't even comment on half of the news stories on NBCNews.com anymore through the vine, just facbook eeeewwww yuck! As if!
I take it you're not an animal lover. On the same note, I don't think you're so important either.
I'd definitely give you up to save my dog.
Gman91, you're right, one chimp ripped a human's face off, but one human ripped another human's face off too, so you don't get any points on that one.
Well, if you stupid enough to have a chimp as a pet, and keep it chained up all day in a 2'X2' cage with filthy conditions then frankly, yes- you DO deserve to have your face ripped off if it gets hold of you.
Dry up, please.
Less evil? Chimps have been observed killing chimps from other clans in the wild. I'm not making this up either.
Bart, you and I both. My Biskey over mylivinginthewoods ANY DAY!
Good. I wish it was all, though.
I would suggest that all of you on here posting about how positive this is, stop taking any and all medication developed with the help of animal testing or made from animals.
Sure hope that none of you are diabetic.
I am no PETA member, but using primates for research should only be done for very, very important research where there is no other way to garner the necessary information.
The fact that the animals are being treated well afterwards is obviously positive. And maybe we don't need so many; that too is positive.
BUT
Saving thousands of human lives at the cost of a handful of monkeys is also positive.
Sorry PETA people, but if you're willing to sacrifice thousands of human lives for one chimp, you're nuckin futs.
Humans are overpopulating the earth and basically killing the planet.
Do we really need to save everyone?
Bart,
If you are actually serious, I suggest that you seek professional mental help. This is the type of mentality that leads to gas chambers and such.
Bart is right. IT IS us humans that are destoying our planet that we happen to share with the animals. We owe it to the chimps to utilize the technology we have gained over using them for research.
In other news PETA members have all found new jobs as research subject volunteers. One scientist was quoted as saying "The chimps were far easier to work with. They talked less, were less finicky about their food, and they followed instructions and learned new tricks much better."
Obama has already allowed his EPA to conduct death causing medical experiments on human beings. There is nothing wrong with that. It is just a late, very late, term abortion. Who needs guns to kill people when you can poison them to death. It sure is weird when liberal activist groups value animals over humans. I guess we should just send these PETA fools to the Arctic to feed the polar bears who would find them yummy.
This is a long overdue step in the right direction, which the majority of scientists approve, not just animal activists, otherwise the NIH would never support such a move. Most research does *not* need to be conducted on live animals, and certainly not on primates -- computer modeling is much more effective for so many purposes, and institutional review boards at all research institutions already require that non-live animal methods be used if they are possible.
Let them test humans. We haven't learned in 1,000's of years that all people on the earth are equal and we're all one. This barbaric treatment of animals has been an abomination. Humans, that seemingly and in actuality, soulless race of bigots, haters, and killers of other life forms.
The simple solution is do away with welfare and allow people to get paid for being lab rats. They would line up just like they do for welfare, the only difference is that they are actually giving back to society this way.
I worked at a Harvard Medical School animal facility years ago, and left because of animal living conditions and treatment. I know that conditions have improved, and that benefits for humans do come from all of this, but it saddened me nevertheless. Here are examples of what I saw:
1. Dogs were kept in cages. Some had their legs intentionally broken so that doctors could study them. If a fire alarm went off in the middle of such an "operation" doctors had to leave the dog on the table or be fined.
2. Rabbits were fitted with large plastic collars to prevent them from scratching their heads. Then their heads were intentionally infested with ticks.
3. Mice over-bred, all the time. Dozens of baby mice were routinely scooped up and suffocated with gas.
4. Intelligent primates were kept in small cages, and they suffered from boredom, depression, and rage.
5. Many animals, when approached or picked up, acted defensively, remembering the last time they got stuck with needles, etc.
Doctors and staff tried to be kind, all things considered. Ironically, in the midst of this research facility, was a bronze plaque mounted on the wall, erected to the "memory" of research animals which "gave their lives" for human benefit.
Oh my GOD. This makes me sick.
Oh great...now all the liberals are going to be retired...I knew I was having a good day...
They will still be using other species.
Many years ago my C- 130 crew delivered 12 Rhesus monkeys and 300 pounds of Purina monkey chow to Bethesda.
As part owner I'd like to be the first to offer The Capitol Building for the retired chimps. It's not like it's being used for anything else and they would probably fit right in with the existing natives.
Again, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of evil, vile humans in the prison system who have generated nothing but horror and mayhem in society. THERE are the "guinea pigs" that should take the places of these animals who have done nothing wrong....other than to get involved with "humans." Make the human vermin pay for their crimes by becoming the experimental "chimps." Leave the animals out of it.
I have ALWAYS thought this was a good idea. I am sure many on death row or life without the oppurtunity if parole would feel it was a type way of redeeming themselves....
Hmmm, perhaps we have finally found a use for all these babbling lunatic rightes we have running around.
I was thinking this would be a good job for those pink haired Libtards but I remembered they don't do the "job" thing.
A decision that should have been made long ago. The majority of medical research can now be done without animal testing. We're years behind other advanced countries when it comes to this. The behavioral testing done on primates was the worst.
We are all mammals. We all acquire the same or similar diseases. No research has ever been done to prove conclusively that animals do not have feelings just the same as us. Why have humans presumed for so long that we were superior to them which in turn gave us the right to experiment on them. The ancient Greeks called this Hubris. We should call it mammalian discrimination.
CAnadian Jack,
It has always amazed me too!
Its a step forward for animal rights, we have a long way to go. I know people do not like animal testing, at the same time a lot of medications for diseases we take for GRANTED came from animal testing.
The Tea Party is about to get bigger.
One question: what is the last thing they actually have cured? Oh they make medicine to relieve the symptom, but do you tihnk they would really want to cure anything. Hmmmm ... money is the key word here and lots of it.
Every monkey should be exterminated. I had monkeys. That includes baboons, chimps, and Petas.