The New York Times published our video today along with a front page photo. With the help of my awesome and amazing partner Christopher Onstott we told an inspiring story about the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, a 26-acre farm 90 miles east of Seattle WA, is home to 7 chimps that were all once used in biomedical research. One of the favorites is Jody, a 38 year female primarily used for breeding and hepatitis vaccine research research who now spends her days making nests. The National Institute of Health just announced that more than 300 of their 360 chimps would be retired to sanctuaries over the next few years, and that a very high bar be placed on approval of any future biomedical research. This announcement came on the heels of a proposal by the Fish and Wildlife Service to list all chimpanzees, including those in captivity, as endangered. Jennifer Whitaker, Executive Director of the sanctuary, and others in her generation, have been a big part of the surge of recent activism that prodded both the NIH and the Fish and Wildlife Service to make their changes. Inspired by Jane Goodall, Whitaker feels particularly connected to Jody, “looking into her eyes, and seeing them as the windows of her soul. I felt something really deep, something that connected me to her.” Thanks so much to the folks at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest for the tour.
Retired From Research from NashCO Photo and Video on Vimeo.