In February 2006 Kermit’s Community was taken from their home at OSU and became the “property” of Primarily Primates, Inc. When they arrived in Texas, PPI was not prepared to deal with them and Kermit died before he was even taken out of his transport cage and Jane (a capuchin monkey) escaped never to be seen again. Darrell was separated from the group and kept in solitary confinement in the dark (we will never know what possible physiological damage such stress and despair ultimately caused him). Emma and Harper were separated from the adult members of their family. Sarah and Sheba stopped eating and began losing dangerous amounts of weight. Bobby eventually stopped eating and his heart gave out.
The chimpanzees were finally rescued and brought to Chimp Haven after their 8 month ordeal. They now live with seven new friends in a huge play yard where they can climb high and have no bars over their heads.
But Sarah, Sheba, Keeli, Ivy, Harper and Emma are in danger again as PPI and their supporters from Friends of Animals are trying to reclaim their “property” and put them back behind bars. They are threatening to separate the group again too.
It is hard to see how the best interest of animals matters to these people. In fact, due to their actions and the company they keep, it is not unreasonable to believe that they don’t really care about animals, especially Kermit's Community who they continue to treat as pawns.
During the summer of 2006, as these chimpanzees and over 60 others were suffering at PPI, the director of PPI roasted a pig on the grounds of the refuge to serve as food during a meeting of the PPI board.
PPI, and their partners, Friends of Animals, are allied with Earle Holland of OSU, the spokesperson who defends the use of thousands of animals in experiments every year and explained away the death of over 600 animals from a heating malfunction that very same summer. (link to http://www.poetwill.org/osu_research2.htm)
Write to the Board of Directors of PPI and Friends of Animals and let them know what you think of their treating Sarah, Sheba, Keeli, Ivy, Harper and Emma like property and supporting those who defend killing animals.
Sally Malanga, Secretary/Treasurer
Carol Fleischmann, Chairperson
Dianne Forthman, Vice President
777 Post Road
Suite 205
Darien, CT 06820
