Monday, November 30, 2009

Rachel's Birthday/Anniversaire de Rachel

Today November 27th is Rachel’s 27th birthday, Rachel was born in a primate breeding facility, purchased by an animal breeder and was then sold to a family in Florida. Rachel lived the first years of her life as a human child. She wore clothes, slept in beds and ate at the table with utensils, at 3 years old she was sold to LEMSIP laboratory as a research subject. Rachel did not fare well in research and had severe panic attacks and still suffers on occasion from a syndrome called floating hand. During these episodes Rachel believes her hand is not her own, biting it as it slaps her and pokes her in the eyes. Luckily these episodes are few and far between. Rachel has many chimpanzee friends but her best buddy is Toby. When they are apart it usually only lasts a couple of days, and then Rachel is quite anxious to be back together with her friend. Rachel is happiest when she is outside in the sun or in the sky walk. She loves hot tea and muffins in the morning and all cooked foods she is served especially mashed sweet potatoes. She also enjoys Sundays with all her special human friends.

Aujourd'hui, le 30 novembre, Rachel fête ses 27 ans. Elle est née dans un établissement destiné à l'élevage des primates, achetée par un éleveur et vendue à une famille habitant en Floride. Rachel a vécu sa première année comme un enfant humain. Elle portait des vêtements, dormait dans un lit et mangeait à la table avec des ustensiles. À trois ans, elle fut vendue au laboratoire LEMSIP pour le département de recherche. Rachel n'a pas bien réagit au laboratoire et elle développa des crises d'angoisse sévères et, occasionnellement, elle souffre encore aujourd'hui du syndrome de la main flottante. Lors de ces épisodes, Rachel croit que sa main n'est pas la sienne et la mordille alors que la main la frappe et lui blesse les yeux. Heureusement, ces épisodes sont peu fréquentes et de plus en plus dispersées dans le temps.

"Rach" a plusieurs amis mais son copain préféré c'est Toby. Elle s'ennuie lorsqu'elle est séparée de Toby pour plusieurs jours et a très hâte d'être réunie avec lui. Rachel est tellement heureuse lorsqu'elle est à l'extérieur au soleil ou dans la passerelle aérienne. Elle adore le thé bien chaud, les muffins qui lui sont servis le matin et tous les repas cuisinés notamment les pommes de terre sucrés pilés. Rach aime bien aussi les dimanches pour passer du temps avec ses amis humains.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Fauna in Readers Digest/Fauna dans le Readers Digest

Get your December Issue of Readers Digest and check out the 8 page spread on Fauna titled: Retirement Refuge by Anne Mullens

Procurez-vous le Readers Digest du mois de décembre et lisez l'article de 8 pages à propos de Fauna: Retirement Refuge de Anne Mullens

Monday, November 23, 2009

Project R&R Action Alert


Project R&R: Release and Restitution for Chimpanzees in U.S. Laboratories

Pepper's Birthday is December 3rd


Pepper at LEMSIP © Fauna Pepper today at Fauna © Fauna


Let's give Pepper her best birthday ever.

Tell your legislator Pepper is asking for support.

Twelve years ago Pepper, NEAVS' adopted chimpanzee, was rescued from the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) by the Fauna Foundation sanctuary. Her records were incomplete and so, like many chimpanzees, Pepper was assigned her own special birthday. Every year on December 3rd, Fauna celebrates Pepper with a party and lots of extra TLC.

Pepper is playing a crucial role in the growing success of the Great Ape Protection Act (H.R. 1326) which has more than 100 cosponsors. Her story is being told to millions through news stories, presentations, articles, documentaries, and in NEAVS' outreach YouTube message.

Help us reach the goal of 112 cosponsors by December 3rd in honor of Pepper's 12 years in sanctuary. Please contact your representative TODAY. Ask him or her to sign on to the Great Ape Protection Act (H.R 1326).


Click below to go to our GAPA petition page.
Take Action Today!


Thursday, November 19, 2009

Video: Dr. Bailey weighs in on debate

Tuesday - November 17, 2009 (posted in Related News)

Jarrod Bailey, PhD, NEAVS/Project R&R science director and author of several studies -
http://www.releasechimps.org/flawed-science/dangerous-and-unnecessary/the-case-to-end-chimpanzee-research/
on the use of chimpanzees in human health research, was recently interviewed for Defining Person, a feature-length documentary film that explores the implications of the international movement to change the legal status of chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans from property to person.

Click Below to view video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChPImeum4uw


Mardi le 17 novembre 2009 (affiché dans nouvelles)

Jarrod Bailey, PhD, Directeur de science NEAVS/Project R&R et auteur de plusieurs études -
http://www.releasechimps.org/flawed-science/dangerous-and-unnecessary/the-case-to-end-chimpanzee-research/
sur l'utilisation des chimpanzés dans la recherche sur la santé humaine, a été interviewé sur Defining Person, un documentaire long métrage qui fait un survol des conséquences possibles du mouvement international qui vise à changer le statut légal des chimpanzés, bonobos, gorilles et orangoutans de propriété à personne.

Cliquez sur le lien suivant pour visionner la vidéo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChPImeum4uw

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Animals Matter To Me - Update

Since 2007, WSPA Canada has been working tirelessly to convince the Canadian government to support our campaign to achieve a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW). We gathered thousands of petitions, presented our case at countless meetings, and made hundreds of phone calls. We're thrilled to annouce that it worked. Our Members of Parliament heard us.

In a landmark decision on November 6, MPs from all four political parties unanimously adopted a motion which calls on the Canadian government to support (in principle) the development of a UDAW. The motion was put forward by Liberal MP Michelle Simson (Scarborough Southwest) and seconded by NDP MP Bill Siksay (Burnaby Douglas). This makes Canada a leader. We are the first North American country to express support for a UDAW.

We could have never achieved this milestone without your help.

Thank you.

MPs debate the importance of animal welfare:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1h0je_5QJQ

Say 'thanks' for a job well done, email your MP now>>
http://action.wspa.ca/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=23&ea.campaign.id=4981&ea.param.extras=Source:email

This means that Canada is one giant step closer to fully endorsing the campaign, but there are a few more important steps on this journey...

1. Very soon, WSPA will meet with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm that the government will commit to and support, in principle, the development of a UDAW.

2. The actual details of the UDAW will be negotiated and finalized by key countries.

3. Finally, Canada must then agree to and endorse the UDAW.

The WSPA campaign to achieve a UDAW was supported by our member societies and more than 75,000 Canadians who signed petitions and sent more than 25,000 individual letters to MPs and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. There is still lots of work to be done, and as we carry this campaign forward we hope you will continue to support us and lend your voice to the campaign.

Please say thanks for a job well done, send a thank you e-mail to your MP.

With thanks and appreciation,

Silia Smith
Regional Director
WSPA Canada

Thursday, November 12, 2009

12th Anniversary of the Last Group to arrive at Fauna/12ième anniversaire de l'arrivée du dernier groupe à Fauna

November 12th marks the 12th year anniversary of the last group of labratory chimpanzees to arrive at Fauna; Tom, Yoko and Jeannie. The very first Chimpanzees in the world with HIV virus to ever be released to Sanctuary; as well as being some of the very first Chimpanzees to be used for HIV research.
Le 12 novembre c'est le 12ième anniversaire de l'arrivée du dernier groupe de chimpanzés de laboratoire (Tom, Yoko et Jeannie) qui ont été accueillis ici à Fauna. Les tout premiers chimpanzés au monde à avoir le virus du VIH, à être relâchés en sanctuaire en plus d'être parmi les premiers chimpanzés à avoir servi pour la recherche sur le VIH.


Jeannie 1975-2007
(to learn more about Jeannie visit our January postings)
(visitez les commentaires du mois de janvier pour en savoir plus sur Jeannie)


Yoko


Tom

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW)

This November, a Private Member's motion in support of a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW) is scheduled to be debated for the second time in Canada's House of Commons. Sponsored by Michelle Simson (MP for Scarborough Southwest) and seconded by Bill Siksay (MP for Burnaby-Douglas), the motion had its first hour of debate on October 1st. It reads as follows:

‘That, in the opinion of the House, the government should support, in principle, the development of a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at all relevant International organizations and forums.’


Urge your MP to support Motion M-354 >>


Parliamentary support for UDAW would send a strong message to our goverment that Animals Matter - to Parliament, and to the more than 70,000 Canadians who have signed petitions and sent letters on this issue. Please take a moment to email your MP now (even if you have already emailed them in the past on this issue) and urge him/her to support Motion M-354.

We need to get as many letters to MPs as possible before the vote: forward this email, encourage as many people as you can to join you and stand up for animal welfare in Canada.

A UDAW would be a powerful catalyst for change ­ inspiring the creation of national laws for the prevention of cruelty to animals where they do not exist and encouraging all nations to look for ways to improve their laws and standards for the prevention of cruelty to, and proper care and treatment of animals.

With thanks and appreciation,

Silia Smith
Regional Director
WSPA Canada

http://www.makeanimalsmatter.ca/

Grace Slick Asks Congress to End Chimpanzee Experiments

Posted on Oct 30th 2009 9:55AM by John D. Luerssen
Comments (14)
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Grace Slick http://www.spinner.ca/tag/GraceSlick/ of
Jefferson Airplane http://www.spinner.ca/tag/JeffersonAirplane/ ,
Jefferson Starship http://www.spinner.ca/tag/Starship/ and
Starship fame http://www.spinner.ca/tag/Starship/ -- is urging Congress to end experiments on chimpanzees. Slick, whose 70th birthday is today, recorded a voicemail http://www.pcrmaudio.org/grace_slick/gapa.wav inviting politicians to a Capitol Hill multimedia exhibit http://www.pcrm.org/resch/gapa/gallery.html about chimps with the hope that they will move to phase out the use of the animals in invasive experiments and retire all federally-owned chimpanzees to sanctuaries.

The voice behind 'Somebody to Love' and 'We Built This City' is working in partnership with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine on the initiative, which supports the Towns-Reichert Great Ape Protection Act. In her voicemail, delivered Monday night, Slick said, "We all need somebody to love, so I was shocked to learn that laboratories can keep chimpanzees locked up in metal cages about the size of a kitchen table. It's time for to join the long list of countries that prohibit invasive experiments on these amazingly intelligent animals."

The exhibit was designed to draw attention to the ethical and scientific implications of chimpanzee experiments. According to the PCRM, when used in experiments, chimpanzees suffer from early separation from their mothers, social isolation, prolonged captivity, sensory deprivation and repeated physical harm. The Great Ape Protection Act would end invasive research on chimpanzees, release federally owned chimps to the aforementioned sanctuaries and end federal funding for the breeding of federally owned chimpanzees.

A message from Theodora Capaldo, President of NEAVS

Dear NEAVS Board, Project R&R Advisory Board, and Special Friends:

I wanted to share the message I just received from one of the editors of the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, in which first NEAVS/Project R&R’s first psychology paper, Building an Inner Sanctuary: Complex PTSD in Chimpanzees, was published in the 9(1) issue. I have forwarded his message below; see especially the section we highlighted. I hope you share our pride in the good work we are doing and the recognition it is receiving. Given that journal editors can be somewhat traditional, we are particularly pleased by the journal’s response. The paper – and our strategy to “fight science with science” – is obviously hitting its mark. I want to take this opportunity to again thank the authors and coauthors on all of the papers we have published to date.

And, thanks to all of you for helping us build the support necessary to challenge the science, ethics, and economics of the use of chimpanzees in research. With 87 cosponsors (to date) on board for the Great Ape Protection Act – a number that is growing weekly – we are getting closer to the day when this cruel and unnecessary research ends for good.

Sincerely,
Theodora Capaldo, Ed.D.

President
New England Anti-Vivisection Society
Project R&R: Release and Restitution for Chimpanzees in U.S. Laboratories



From: Beppler, Sean
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:56 PM
To: Release Chimps
Subject: Building an Inner Sanctuary: Complex PTSD in Chimpanzees

Hello,

Regarding the publication: Building an Inner Sanctuary: Complex PTSD in Chimpanzees, G.A. Bradshaw, Ph.D., Ph.D, Theodora Capaldo, Ed.D., Lorin Lindner, Ph.D., M.P.H., and Gloria Grow, Sanctuary Director; published in Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, vol 9, iss 1, 2008; which is already linked to on your homepage –

I wished to let you know that this article has been made freely accessible. Currently, your link goes to an executive summary of the article, which is fine, but if you care to, you’re free to link to the full article at:

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a903756748

I would only ask that you link to this article, rather than posting the pdf of the full article on your site.

After we were made aware that this article had been published, what it dealt with, and that there were advocates pushing to pass a law preventing some forms of research on chimpanzees based in part on this work, we realized there was no reason to withhold access.

We wish you the best,
Sean

_____________

Sean Beppler

Associate Editor

Taylor & Francis

Friday, November 6, 2009

2nd Year Anniversary of Spock, Maya and Sophie's arrival














Sophie...

Today marks the second year anniversary of the arrival of the Spock, Maya and Sophie from the Quebec City zoo. Unfortunately Sophie did not make her first year anniversary she passed away on April 23rd, 2008. (See the month of June 08 for more about Sophie) Spock and Maya have adjusted well to their new home and have made new friends. Tom and Spock are now best buddies. Maya and Binky have become very fond of each other, as well as, Toby and Maya.

Spock & Maya













Sunday, November 1, 2009

Chimpanzees' grief caught on camera in Cameroon

A group of chimpanzees have been photographed seemingly grieving for the death of one of their own in Cameroon.

By Chris Irvine
Published: 10:51AM GMT 27 Oct 2009


Grief-stricken chimpanzees mourning the death of a fellow ape Photo: MONICA SZCZUPIDER/SOLENT
More than a dozen chimps stand in silence watching from behind their wire enclosure as Dorothy, a chimp in her late 40s who died of heart failure, is wheeled past them.
The chimps are from the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in Cameroon. Locals from the village work as "care-givers" for the orphaned animals whose mothers were all killed for the illegal bushmeat trade.


The photo was taken by Monica Szczupider, who was working at the centre.
Speaking about Dorothy, Miss Szczupider, 30, said the chimp was a "prominent figure" within a group of about 25 chimps.
"Chimps are not silent. They are gregarious, loud, vocal creatures, usually with relatively short attention spans", she said.
"But they could not take their eyes off Dorothy, and their silence, more than anything, spoke volumes."
The scene, which can be seen in November's issue of National Geographic, is reminiscent of the gorilla Gana, who grieved of the loss of her baby in her compound at Muenster zoo in northern Germany. Gana fiercely held on to the corpse of her three-month-old baby Claudio until zoo keepers were eventually able to retrieve his body.
Scientists have previously discounted opinions of those who claim animals feel emotions as overly anthropomorphic. But a number of have also recognised that we must be anthropomorphic when discussing animal emotions.
Dr Marc Bekoff, of the University of Colorado, previously wrote for The Telegraph: "That animals and humans share many traits including emotions is merely an extension of Charles Darwin's accepted ideas about evolutionary continuity, that the differences between species are differences in degree rather than differences in kind. The seemingly natural human urge to impart emotions on to animals, far from obscuring the "true" nature of animals, may actually reflect a very accurate way of knowing."
He has previously published observations of a magpie 'funeral' where a group of four magpies took it turns to approach the corpse of a dead bird, before two flew off to return with a piece of grass and lay it down beside the body. He also claims to have seen emotions in elephants.