Move Kermit's Community

On Tuesday, February 21st, 2006, The Ohio State University (OSU) announced they were closing the Chimp Center and a week later put the nine chimpanzees (Kermit, Darrell, Sarah, Sheba, Bobby, Keeli,Ivy, Harper, and Emma) and three capuchins (Jane, Rain and Ulysses) on a truck with no care staff or veterinarians, and sent them to an inadequate facility, Primarily Primates, Inc. (PPI) outside of San Antonio, TX.

Upon arrival at PPI, Kermit, the co-alpha male of the community died and Jane, a capuchin monkey, escaped and was never seen again. Within 6 weeks, Bobby grew weak and died in his enclosure. 3 other chimpanzees, not from OSU, also died. The remaining OSU animals are in grave danger. (For more information see www.kermitscommunity.com)

Experts from around the world have stated that Primarily Primates is not capable of taking care of these sensitive, enculturated chimpanzees. Inspectors who visited PPI since June 2006 have documented conditions that constitute breaches in the contract between OSU and PPI:

1. PPI does not adhere to federal animal welfare law (there is no enrichment, there are not enough care staff, the facility is unsafe for humans and for animals, there are sanitation problems, there is no facility to care for sick animals, and some enclosures do not meet minimal animal care standards).

2. The former OSU chimps are not living together as a social group -- Darrell has been in isolation since March 2 and the others have been separated into three groups.

3. The $300,000 from Ohio taxpayers were not used to provide permanent, life long housing and humane care for the chimps and monkeys.


We the undersigned urge the Board of Trustees to rescind the contract because it has been breached by PPI, to take responsibility for the lives of these chimpanzees, and to send them to Chimp Haven, a federally recognized and accredited sanctuary that has offered to provide humane, life time care for the chimpanzees at no expense to OSU.