Prohibit the use of chimpanzees in experimentation

Speak Up for Chimpanzees
The Use of Chimpanzees in Biomedical and Behavioral ResearchAugust 11, 2011 - August 12, 2011Keck Center
500 5th Street, NW
Washington D.C. 20001
The U.S. government has convened a committee that will recommend whether or not whether the U.S. should finally stop experimenting on chimpanzees.

This committee is now soliciting comments from the public. (Link to the form .) This is a rare opportunity to speak out in opposition to the use of chimpanzees in experiments. Chimpanzees in laboratories suffer immensely both physically and mentally, they are poor models for human diseases, and every other industrialized country in the world has already made the compassionate decision to prohibit the use of chimpanzees in experimentation. Read AFA's submission:

Submitted to the National Academy of Science Committee on The Use of Chimpanzees in Biomedical and Behavioral Research on August 5, 2011.

http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=49370

The Alliance for Animals is Wisconsin's oldest animal advocacy organization. The organization is based in Madison, Wisconsin and has considerable experience with issues surrounding the use of animals and particularly the use on nonhuman primates in publicly funded biomedical and behavioral research.

After decades of close scrutiny, it is our considered opinion that animals generally and primates particularly are not kept or used in ways that would be considered humane by those not financially vested in the system. We doubt that most animals can be kept in a laboratory setting in a manner that those outside the industry would consider to be humane.

We believe that the stated scope of the committee's work:

-- to determine if chimpanzees are or will be necessary for research discoveries

-- describe the unique ... characteristics of the chimpanzee that make it the necessary animal model

-- determine if chimpanzees are necessary for progress ...

depicts a clear bias and pre-drawn conclusion that the use of chimpanzees is justified if some human benefit or even just additional knowledge is gained by doing so.

We find such a position odious and harking back to previous justifications for using mentally retarded humans, orphans, or people of color. Benefits accrued to the powerful are insufficient justification for harming the weak.

All chimpanzees currently owned or controlled by the United States government should be immediately accorded protection from further harm.

Additionally, their well-being should be enhanced through improving their living conditions and giving them considerable opportunity for independent decision-making.

We should look upon them as a captive race of people who may not be able to be repatriated due to the insults and deculturization heaped upon them by our prior treatment of them.

This should be the work of the committee: How best to make amends and provide the best possible environment for these animals' remaining years.

Rick Bogle

Co-Director

Alliance for Animals

http://www.allanimals.org