Resources & Archives Compassion in Action: Rescuing the Air Force Chimps (Spring 2000) — In honor of a special but all-too-forgotten breed of veterans, NEAVS has awarded a major grant to the Center for Captive Chimpanzee Care (CCCC). These funds are helping make it possible for the Center to obtain custody of 21 "Air Force chimps" and relocate them to a sanctuary now under construction in southern Florida. The 21 chimpanzees, survivors and descendents of the first chimpanzees in space, are members of a group of 111 non-human primates recently sent by the U. S. Air Force to The Coulston Foundation (TCF), a private breeding and research facility in New Mexico. TCF, which conducts research in AIDS, hepatitis, and vaccine and medical device development, has long been the center of animal welfare protests. TCF was recently slapped with government sanctions for a long list of animal welfare violations including numerous chimpanzee deaths and failure to meet good laboratory practice standards. And in the past few months alone, six more chimpanzees at Coulston have died gruesome deaths which animal advocates attribute to neglect and mismanagement. According to the Center's project director, Dr. Carole Noon, the chimps bound for Florida include Lil' Mini, the youngest offspring of Minnie, the oldest "astro-chimp" from the space program's early days. Minnie died in 1998 at the age of 41. About Carole Noon, PhD Dr. Noon is a biological anthropologist who has worked with chimpanzees since 1984. Her primary research area is chimpanzee resocialization. She spent three years at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia helping to establish two social groups. Dr. Noon edited the ChimpanZoo Environmental Enrichment Manual for the Jane Goodall Institute. NEAVS Advisory Board member Roger Fouts, PhD, the noted author of Next of Kin, which chronicles his success in communicating with chimpanzees, hailed NEAVS' efforts as "a splendid example of how to get things done to help our next of kin - who deserve, not just our help, but the thanks of the nation." Dr. Noon said she is pleased, proud and excited to know that the chimpanzees will now receive the care they deserve and can enjoy their retirement in a safe haven. NEAVS is continuing to distribute pre-printed post cards urging the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and congressional representatives to act responsibly and provide the chimps with a dignified retirement (see Update, Fall/Winter 1999). Since NEAVS began its post card campaign, hundreds of post cards and messages have been heard in Washington. While all animals in research need our help, the opportunity to retire this group of chimpanzees to the excellent care of the Center is an important step in helping animals everywhere. Back to UPDATE 2000 Series, Vol. 1, No. 1 Spring mainpage.