NEAVS/Project R&R submitted testimony to the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

“Congress annually considers… appropriations measures, which provide funding for numerous [federal] activities, …[and] general government operations such as the administration of federal agencies.” (http://appropriations.house.gov/) The House and Senate Appropriations Committees control about 40% of total federal spending for a fiscal year. The House and Senate legislative committees control the remaining approximate 60% of funding. Appropriations considers and accepts testimony for the record from interested parties.
Read the complete testimony here.

NEAVS/Project R&R’s testimony is an important reminder to legislators that the animal model is not a research model of choice, cost-benefit or necessity. A key emphasis in our 2009 Appropriations testimony submitted is for the reallocation of funding for chimpanzee research into funding for non-animal methods. The testimony’s suggestions are substantiated with scientific, ethical, economic and public opinion arguments.

Key Points from 2009 appropriations testimony:

NEAVS/Project R&R requests that no federal funding be appropriated for:

• breeding of chimpanzees or other great apes for research
• transfer of federally-owned chimpanzees to private ownership
• housing/maintenance/endowments for federally-owned chimpanzees in private facilities
• maintenance of surplus chimpanzees except in retirement in sanctuary
• research involving the use of chimpanzees

NEAVS/Project R&R requests that federal funding be appropriated for:

• transfer of federally-owned chimpanzees into sanctuary
• housing/maintenance grants for federally-owned chimpanzees in sanctuary
• retirement of all “surplus” chimpanzees now held in laboratories
• reallocation of funding for chimpanzee research into funding non-animal research methods

NEAVS/Project R&R has submitted testimony in the past on important funding concerns for animal in laboratories such as:

- Department of Health and Human Services: Proposed Rules on Standards of Care for Chimpanzees Held in the Federally Supported Chimpanzee Sanctuary System (2005)
Read testimony here.

- House and Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Testimony: Requesting that federal funding for breeding chimpanzees for research, or for projects that require breeding, be terminated. (2007)
Read testimony here.

Escaped research chimp killed in Bastrop center

© 2008 The Associated Press

AUSTIN — An 18-year-old research chimpanzee was shot and killed after he escaped from an enclosure at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center facility in Bastrop.

A team that specializes in safe animal capture tried to catch the chimp, named Tony, for 45 minutes after he escaped Wednesday. They used “at least one tranquilizer dart” before a 5-year-veteran of the police department fatally shot the animal, said assistant Police Chief Thomas Engells with the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

It was the second time in five months that a chimp has escaped from the Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research.

In November, a 17-year-old chimpanzee named Jake escaped from his enclosure and had to be sedated after a search lasting several hours on the 381-acre property. Jake was returned safely to his enclosed area.

The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, alleging failure to ensure structurally sound housing and qualified personnel to care for the animals.

“Chimpanzees are intelligent, sensitive, and resourceful — they shouldn’t be incarcerated in laboratories in the first place,” said Debra Durham, a PETA primate specialist. “Research on chimpanzees is banned in many countries. The very least that this laboratory can do is ensure that these animals have safe living spaces.”

Christian Abee, director of the center, said standard operating procedures were followed after the escape.

“A chimpanzee escape is an extraordinarily rare event in most circumstances,” he said. “We are taking statements to determine what happened.”

Counselors will be available at the center for the center’s 120 employees.

“A tragic event of this type takes its toll on our caregivers,” Abee said.

The police department will investigate the incident, standard procedure when an officer discharges a weapon.

Article link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5617207.html