Retired Lab Chimps See The Sky For The First Time.

Steel yourselves, animal lovers. A few weeks ago, we told you that the National Institute of Health recommended that a majority of government-owned lab chimps be retired in the near future.

For 111 of these chimps, the largest group ever to be retired, this dream is now a reality. Over the next 12 to 15 months, lab chimps from across the country will be set free and will live out their days at Chimp Haven, a sanctuary in Keithville, Louisiana.

The process has already started, and it is pure magic. Below, a few chimps see the sky and feel the grass for the first time in their lives.

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NIH Report Proposes Retiring Research Chimps

A report from the National Institutes of Health council recommends that the agency put out to pasture all but 50 of the chimpanzees it uses in research.

The days of chimpanzees as test subjects for federally funded research may be drawing to a close. In a report released this week, a committee within the National Institutes of Health's Council of Councils has advised that the government limit the use of chimps in biomedical research.

The advisory committee was commissioned after a 2011 report declared most NIH research on chimps was scientifically unnecessary. Going forward, the advisory council recommends keeping 50 out of 451 chimpanzees currently being researched through NIH.

For any future research using the animals, the NIH report stipulated that lab living conditions should "promote the full range of natural chimpanzee behaviors," rather than simply "allow" them. As such, they recommended chimps live in social groups of at least 7 individuals, with 1,000 square feet of living space per chimp, room to climb and outdoor access year round.

Kathleen Conlee, vice president for animal research issues at the Humane Society of the United States, told the New York Times that no laboratory in the U.S. currently meets these standards. Per the recommendations, living conditions for NIH-supported chimps would need to meet the new criteria within five years.

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Originally posted by Hopechest

Good to see them set free though. I personally would like to thank them for their service.

Chimps Mourn The Death Of Their Own

This photo, taken a year ago at Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in Cameroon, Africa, shows a line of chimpanzees watching as veterinarian Sheri Speede, of Beaverton, and rescue worker Assou Francois move the body of Dorothy, a chimp who died of heart failure.

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“I cannot emphasise enough how silent and still they were. Chimpanzees are typically not like that. They are loud, with short attention spans. It was unbelievably emotional. We were all struck.”

Monica Szczupider, Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Centre, Cameroon.

Originally posted by VreemdeVlieendeVoorwep

Some would argue "but bro, it's an animal dude". Well yeah, but so are we.

Originally posted by Exitt
Whenever i watch something similar i always feel like there is no other animal more cruel than us.

Humans are bad people

Originally posted by Exitt


Humans are bad people