Let chimps finish lives in sanctuary

THE NATIONAL Institutes of Health has made a very disappointing decision to forgo releasing the last of New Mexico’s captive chimpanzees to permanent sanctuary. With all due respect to the decisionmakers, I believe these chimps cannot be “too fragile” to move to a much more natural and comfortable situation for whatever time is left in their lives. I have personally volunteered with a chimpanzee sanctuary and can attest to the incredible individualized care and attention that the chimps receive, including intricately worked-out social groupings, customized living quarters for chimps with special needs, environmental enhancements for cognitive enrichment and excellent medical care from veterinarians on site.

My volunteer duties included preparing fresh food, providing toys and laundering blankets daily so every single chimp could make a comfortable nest to sleep in. That work and so much more is carried out daily by staff and volunteers who come to know each individual as a friend, and the needs of each can be anticipated and fulfilled.

There is no justification for not carefully and compassionately moving these aging animals who have spent decades in torturous conditions to a new life where they can experience space around them, rest, peace and joy. They may be considered geriatric with health conditions, but that makes the move even more urgent. What human would not prefer this choice near the end of their life, after spending so many years in the same place where they were given no choice or control over what was done to them?

I understand the Alamogordo facility has some amenities as well as caring staff, but it cannot compare in size and opportunity for experience to the tree-filled open space environments of the sanctuary. I urge the caregivers in Alamogordo and the NIH veterinarians to visit the sanctuary in Louisiana and push for this last gift to the chimpanzees who so richly deserve it.

CAROL COOPERRIDER Albuquerque