Jill Kenyon sponsored today as a happy birthday to Foxie and a Happy 40th Birthday to herself! Hope you had a terrific birthday on the 6th, Jill. Thanks for being a friend to Foxie and all of the chimps!
Here’s the Foxie we know and love
chimpanzee
KOMO 4 News
Check out last night’s coverage of the Great Ape Protection Act, which included an interview at the sanctuary with Executive Director Sarah Baeckler, an interview with our friend Debra Durham of PCRM, and a goofy Foxie. You can watch online here: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/100170339.html?tab=video
Please leave a comment below the video and thank KOMO for covering the news of Maria Cantwell’s introduction of the Great Ape Protection Act to the Senate.
More benefits of the new windows
Thanks to Karen and Don Young, LUSH Cosmetics, Anna Kircher and the blog readers, and everyone who donated during our 2nd Anniversary fundraising drive, we’ve been able to replace seven caged windows in the play room with clear, chimp-proof glass. In addition to flooding the playroom with light, there are some other benefits to these new windows:
Alamogordo update – sad news
Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Release and Restitution for Chimpanzees in U.S. Laboratories (Project R&R) has learned that Levi, Jody’s son, is among the group of chimpanzees who have already been moved from the Alamogordo Primate Facility (APF) to the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research.
Project R&R is encouraging supporters to contact Dr. Barbara Alving, the Director of the National Center for Research Resources. Please see the Project R&R alert and contact Dr. Alving today to ask her to halt the transfer of any more chimpanzees and allow all 202 chimpanzees from APF to be permanently retired.
Jody had at least nine babies taken from her during her years as a breeder and biomedical test subject. For the first time in her life she is able to soak up the sun, make huge nests and live each day without pain and fear. Her son Levi and her daughter April, who is still at APF, deserve the same.
Evening Magazine tonight!
The feature about Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest that aired several months ago on King 5’s Evening Magazine is re-airing TONIGHT. Watch it and tell everyone you know to watch it! The show begins at 7pm and it looks like CSNW will be the second story. For those not in the Seattle area, hopefully they will post a video on their website after it airs: http://www.king5.com/on-tv/evening-magazine
Update after the airing – link to the video online: http://www.king5.com/on-tv/evening-magazine/Retired-chimps-living-in-luxury-99898444.html
Senator Cantwell introduces GAPA companion bill
If you receive our e-newsletter you found out some sad news this morning – at least four of the 202 chimpanzees living at the Alamogordo Primate Facility who are slated to be transferred to Texas and made available for biomedical testing are children of the Cle Elum Seven.
We were able to determine this thanks to Project Release and Restitution and the information they have available on their website.
Learn more about this transfer of 202 chimpanzees from our July 16th blog post and view today’s newsletter with details of whose children are among the group: August e-newsletter.
There is hope for these and all chimpanzees in biomedical research in the United States, however. Today, Washington State Senator Maria Cantwell introduced a companion bill to the Great Ape Protection Act, first introduced in the House of Representatives as HR 1326. Passing GAPA would mandate that federally-funded chimpanzees be retired to sanctuary and would outlaw the use of chimpanzees in painful and invasive biomedical research.
Learn more about GAPA and how you can help from the Seattle Times editorial co-written by Executive Director Sarah Baeckler and from the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine.
This is a crucial time for chimpanzees and we have the power to help them. Thanks to everyone who is speaking out for them.
Yesterday in honor of Neil
Yesterday, August 2nd, was a Sponsor a Day in honor of Neil Welch who “loves the intelligence and beauty of the chimpanzees.” Thank you, Neil and thank you Tanya for honoring Neil by dedicating a day of sanctuary for the Cle Elum Seven chimpanzees!
Here’s a special photo of the beautiful and intelligent Jody investigating the long laces on a sandal:
