Honestly? Me, either – even if I had a million dollars. But I like to help monkeys, so I wanted to tell you about the one I’m sponsoring. Meet Blaise, whose name I suggested, after the patron saint of wild animals.
What a handsome lad!
Formerly known only as #29199, Blaise is one of 25 Java macaque monkeys recently brought to Primarily Primates Sanctuary near San Antonio, Texas. “Operation Monkey Trek” was a cooperative effort between several rescue organizations and sanctuaries, who came together to place 55 monkeys after a pharmaceutical lab in New Jersey fell into receivership. Their journey started in New Jersey, and traveled to 3 sanctuaries in Oklahoma and Texas to bring Blaise and his friends to new homes.
There is plenty of sad information out there about what kind of life monkeys experience in medical labs. Blaise and his companions were no exception. Involved in toxicology studies, they lived all 6 or 7 years of their lives in small cages, and were routinely force-fed large doses of medications. They arrived at the sanctuaries still wearing the immobilization collars that they wore in the lab. One can only imagine how it felt to finally be free of that.
But this post isn’t about pity, it’s about new beginnings, and about respect.
Here are some tweets via Priscilla Feral, (@primate_refuge), that came in after the monkeys arrived.
Am amazed the male Java macaques are calm, taking in outdoor life, then instead of fighting, 2 embraced at OK[lahoma] sanctuary!
Sev. macaques who arrived yesterday at Primarily Primates sat in outside enclosure, holding ea other, bewildered+wide-eyed as day unfolded.
So what explains the monkeys’ resilience? Am told it’s emotional to see them playing together, climbing 2 top of enc[losure].
To the latter, I replied that I believe that animals tend to live in the moment. When they experience joy, they revel in it – once they feel safe and their needs are met, they don’t let past experiences or future worries deprive them of the happiness of the moment. We humans can learn a lot from them, and their joy, especially if they are left in their natural habitat, where they can experience it best.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to let you know that several of these monkeys could benefit from sponsorship. In the cooperative spirit of the effort to bring these monkeys out of a lab and into sanctuary, I hope that the human community will also pull together to ensure that Primarily Primates has the resources to provide the best possible care for these monkeys, for the rest of their lives. After all, monkeys in labs don’t volunteer to test medications, and they certainly don’t benefit from it.
Being a monkey hero isn’t expensive – unless you suddenly have 25 of them to feed, provide housing, and veterinary care for. With a $10 or more monthly sponsorship, you get the satisfaction of knowing that you’re doing a fantastic thing for a former lab monkey plus a video and/or photo and an annual listing in the Primarily Primates newsletter as a sponsor.
Sponsor A Monkey Page, Primarily Primates website
Watch for regular updates and photos of monkeys who need sponsors, I will be posting them as a regular feature on this blog.
Related News Stories
Azopharma’s AniClin Preclinical Services monkeys, beagles transferred from Warren County lab to sanctuaries across country
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1280030712253630.xml&coll=3
Beagles from AniClin test lab to be put up for adoption
http://madison.injersey.com/2010/07/02/beagles-from-aniclin-test-lab-to-be-put-up-for-adoption/
Monkeys, dogs used for drug testing in Mansfield Twp. sent to sanctuaries, shelters
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/today/index.ssf/2010/07/monkeys_dogs_used_for_drug_tes.html
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Hi autumn – it can be very overwhelming sometimes, to think about all the beings on this planet who need help, both humans and animals. The fact that there are so many animal causes that need support should give us some idea of just how much injustice there is to them. And sadly nearly all of it is from humans, who use them (or their habitat) to our own benefit. But I agree with Priscilla, that decent and progressive efforts are never futile. It matters to the one you save.
Thank you for helping the wild mustangs, that is another very worthy issue to be involved in.
Autumn — No decent, progressive effort is futile. It’s a boon to humanity and makes your life’s efforts meaningful. The rescue of 55 monkeys and 118 dogs from a toxicology required the intestinal fortitude of people to make it happen. Digging in and taking risks made in happen, and I hope it inspires others to support such efforts and to value persistence.
So many need so much help. Hard to choose and easy to deny. Very glad you can help someone.
I try to help mustangs. Is all this futile? I choose to help when I can, and cry often.
I am happy to see that there is some compassion left in the world. With all the data compiled since humans first started experimenting on animals you would think that there would be enough to draw from that animals would no longer be needed for testing. It is obsolete and cruel.
The idea that an animals life is just as precious as a humans life threatens the false sense of superiority which especially the political right embraces.
Thank you for caring about these folks, Cathy.
From the sponsor of Lee (a serious macaque), who lives with Jupiter (a groovy macaque), Gabriel (a bewildered newcomer), and Bruce (who’s been making some awfully fierce faces).