A Year After New York Blood Center Abandoned Them, Liberian Chimps Are Thriving Under Humane Care
We’ve been caring for more than 60 chimpanzees, abandoned in Liberia by the New York Blood Center, for more than a year. Photo by Carol Guzy/For The HSUS
EDITOR’S NOTE: GOOD NEWS! The HSUS and the New York Blood Center have announced an agreement to provide long-term sanctuary for the Liberian chimpanzees. READ THE UPDATE »
After the New York Blood Center abandoned more than 60 chimpanzees on a series of islands in Liberia without sufficient food or water for the animals to survive, we responded to the emergency – at the inopportune time that the country was going through an Ebola crisis. We’ve been caring for these chimps for more than a year, at great expense, in what amounts to yet another unfunded liability for the animal protection movement – with irresponsible actors dumping the cost of care on us.
Thankfully so many people are stepping up with generous support. The latest help came from Citigroup, which donated $50,000 for the care of the chimps. The banking giant also released a statement urging “all parties involved to come up with a sustainable solution to ensure that these chimpanzees get the care they need.” We stand ready to talk and to work through a solution that is good for the chimpanzees and that requires NYBC to fulfill its obligations.
In the video below, you can see the amazing transformation of these chimpanzees in just over a year, since we and a coalition of 37 organizations and chimpanzee experts stepped in to help them. We have employed about 30 individuals to care for the animals, and in the video you can hear some of these long-time caretakers discuss their experiences, along with Jim and Jenny Desmond, two colleagues who deployed to Liberia to support our efforts there.
It’s past time for NYBC to step up and pay for costs of care. The HSUS and individuals and institutions shouldn’t have to pick up the pieces of a problem created solely by the New York-based charity that used these animals in research and previously pledged to provide lifetime care for them.
Please watch the video and then write to NYBC. Let them know you want them to recommit to helping the chimpanzees.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3-fuePxVxU
I agree with HSUS wholeheartedly. NYBC – you shamed yourselves. Own up and support the chimps who supported your research. Your choice – be a Hero or stay a Zero.
I wrote to them and gave them a piece of my mind. They may not read it all, but I think they’ll get the point from the subject line alone:
“Admit it Was a Stupid Idea and Do the Right Thing for the Chimps”
What was the reason the NYC Blood center gave for not following thru on their support of the chimps?
The reason they gave is that they never contractually agreed; even tho their top scientist was recorded during an interview saying that of course
They would take care of the chimps. Just goes to show that this ‘non-profit’ that made huge $ off of the chimps misery for 30 years threw them away like you might an old chair.
Shame, shame, shame on you!! You brought these innocent & amazing creatures into your labs for testing who knows what. Beyond the fear that they were subjected to by being somewhere so foreign to them, you experimented on & tortured them in ways I cannot begin to fathom. Seeing that NO precautions were taken to ensure that these wonderful creatures would not procreate, the very least you can do, is to ensure that they are all very well taken care of. This should not be the responsibility of HSUS & the local villagers, but due to your carelessness & stupidity, their care has fallen on them. Show the world, that you will own up to your huge mistakes & take care of these creatures.
How they could have left those chimps to die without food after ruining them and using them could not be anything but animal abuse and how many counts per chimp after breeding them for experiments would be how long in jail. Either take care of what they did or go to jail!
How they could leave those chimps to starve without a food source is an absolute abuse, punishable per chimp to how many years in jail and should definitely be enforced starting at the top. What governmental department could have let this go on. They also should be investigated.
thank you Citigroup for your generous donation. IBM needs to step up and cover the remaining costs. A sanctuary for these poor creatures would be the right thing to do.