A Brighter Day For Medical Testing Chimps

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Story Published: Aug 26, 2008 at 4:39 PM PST

By Steve Wellman

It was an unforgettable moment. Seven chimps, after decades of near torture as lab animals, getting to be outside for the first time in their lives. Annie, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, Missy, Negra, and Burrito. They were as excited as kids at Christmas.

Their new enclosure has just been finished at the Chimpanzeee Sanctuary Northwest. It's all built with private money, manned by volunteers.

Steve Wellman says, "Before these chimps came here they spent most of their lives, decades in some cases, in these tiny cages in laboratories. Now they have a whole new life outside in a big new playpen."

The chimps joy was reflected by the sanctuary's organizers.
"I couldn't be happier at this moment," says Diana Goodrich. She's Director of Outreach, dedicated to ending the use of chimps for lab experiments. "It's so amazing to see them out here and realize they've been stuck inside their cages their whole lives. it's just a small step in what we hope to do for them."

The apes discovered treats and toys around the enclosure. And they each have distinct personalities. Foxy likes troll dolls and always has one in her hand. The chimps played hard.

"They're going to be pooped at the end of the day from all the climbing," says Director of Operations J.B. Mulcahy. "But it's cool to see them using all the space."

The only male, Burrito smacks a plastic window, seeming to say "I'm never going back inside."

And Founding Director Keith LaChappelle tells Action News "Jamie knows a few signs in American sign language and for the first time ever this morning she signed to us: "Out". So I believe she knew; she knew she was going outside today.

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