Yerkes to ‘Donate’ Chimps -  Sidestepping Intent of ESA!

September 17, 2015 • Posted in Action Alerts

On February 4, 2015, Yerkes National Primate Facility, Emory University, announced plans to 'donate' 8 chimpanzees to an unaccredited wildlife park in the UK. Their announcement, just months before U.S. Fish & Wildlife's decision to 'uplist' captive chimpanzees from threatened to endangered, ignores public sentiment - end chimpanzee research and retire them to the safety of U.S. sanctuaries.

Effective September 14, 2015, captive chimpanzees, are under stronger protections of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). However, if this impending 'donation' by Emory/Yerkes to the UK is successful, the chimpanzees will be outside the protections of U.S. regulations and laws.
 
NEAVS, along with chimpanzee sanctuaries, other animal organizations, and former Yerkes' caregivers, reached out to Emory President, James W. Wagner, PhD, its Board of Directors and Yerkes' Director, R. Paul Johnson, M.D., asking them to reverse the decision and instead keep all Yerkes chimpanzees in the U.S.  Our repeated requests came to no avail in spite of our willingness to assist in the relocation of the chimpanzees to a U.S. sanctuary.

TAKE ACTION!

  • CONTACT Emory University President James W. Wagner, PhD, at 404.727.6013 or James.Wagner@emory.edu – POLITELY demand that he do everything within his authority to stop the transfer of the 8 chimpanzees from Yerkes to an unaccredited UK wildlife park. 
  • TELL President Wagner that U.S. captive chimpanzees, now “endangered” under the ESA, are entitled to the highest level of protection. Donating chimpanzees overseas is unfitting of a University that holds itself to the highest standards of educational and ethical standards.
  • REMIND President Wagner that if Emory assures that Yerkes reverses its decision, it will set a precedence for the ethically responsible management of retired chimpanzees.  Doing sopositions Emory as a leader in today's climate of needing to retire chimpanzees from U.S. laboratories.

Now, we're reaching out to YOU, our LOYAL SUPPORTERS, to help these 8 - and ALL - chimpanzees. Retired chimpanzees from labs MUST stay in the U.S. - not be shipped to wildlife parks overseas where they will be out of sight, the lab's financial responsibility and the safety of a U.S. sanctuary! Please act now for these and ALL Yerkes chimpanzees.

Help assure their safety in sanctuary retirement with the highest quality of care, not tossed to the chances of an uncertain future at overseas facilities. Spread the word: these 8 chimpanzees, many who have languished in labs their entire lives, need our help!

Thank you for your support of NEAVS as we work to get ALL animals out of ALL labs. Please click here to donate to "Yerkes Chimps" placement in U.S. sanctuary.

Thank you for your support of NEAVS and for your animal advocacy!

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