Who’s living behind the bars? What are the names, lab ID numbers, ages, genders, and other identifying information of all the chimpanzees held today in U.S. labs? WHO’S THERE? is a campaign designed to find out – with your help.

We’re asking for your signature to demand that laboratories holding federally funded chimpanzees release their names, ages, and other crucial information. Project R&R has made formal requests, but as of February 2006 most labs are ignoring or dismissing those requests.

Your tax dollars demand an answer.

Project R&R has sent FOIA requests regarding all federally funded chimpanzees – including those at Chimp Haven, a facility for “retired” chimpanzees that receives 75% of its operating costs from the federal government.

To date, only three labs have provided updated information on their residents: Alamogordo Primate Facility, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and the Centers for Disease Control.

Preparing a current census of chimpanzees in U.S. research facilities is going to take the work of every one of us. This data along with information provided by Project R&R sources will help us identify individual chimpanzees in most need of immediate rescue.  Research facilities cannot get away with moving chimpanzees from lab to lab, hiding the whereabouts of any one of them, and continuing to treat them like expendable commodities.  

HOW TO HELP: Sign the Who’s There Letter to demand that laboratories comply with federal disclosure laws. Even in the specific situations where technicalities and loopholes may allow labs to withhold information, the public and chimpanzees deserve better.

See existing Who’s There lists for each lab. (Click on the profile for each lab and open the Who’s There Excel chart)