Sanctuaries, Ethics of Keeping Chimpanzees in | 503 intelligent chimpanzee, a life behind bars is hell It is the sanctuary’s responsibility to make every effort to equalize the power and offer pride and dignity to the powerless An angry chimpanzee is a very dangerous chimpanzee, to both his human caregivers and the social group Gaining trust and respect is a two-way street, and how both parties interact, chimps with humans and humans with chimps is generally indistinguishable The humans, however, must take the initiative and have inexhaustible patience and compassion Daily, sanctuary staff plays a critical role in the emotional recovery and stability of the chimpanzees in their care Staff’s arrival should be met with excited pant-hoots in anticipation of food and the arrival of a trusted friend with whom the chimps have a bond Once a friendship is developed, it is sacred, and is held in the highest regard A chimp will not befriend anyone just for food, which alone indicates a more complex and sophisticated emotional capacity Befriending a chimpanzee is a significant accomplishment There are many chimps who may forever refuse the friendship of a human, and in their rebuffs they will attempt to physically injure or assault the very caregiver whose patience and olive branch remain proffered The role of the caregiver often means ever remaining an honorable and true friend even to the most jaded of chimpanzees, because often it is these individuals who’ve suffered most at the hands of other humans In 2007, the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health permanently adopted a temporary 1995moratorium on breeding chimpanzees Although this was met with criticism from many in the biomedical research community, it was applauded by animal welfare and animal rights advocates as an ethically and morally sound decision The greatest number of captive chimpanzees in the United States live in research institutes Lesser numbers are those from the entertainment industry and zoos, or pets The current and future need for sanctuaries is far greater than the number of sanctuary homes available For this reason and the obvious wrongness of breeding into captivity, sanctuaries not breed chimpanzees Failed contraception may result in a birth, which realistically enhances and stimulates chimpanzee group dynamics, but at the expense of yet another chimp living an incarcerated life Regarding euthanasia, the Chimpanzee Health Improvement, Maintenance, and Protection (CHIMP) Act signed by President Clinton in 2000 states that “The CHIMP Act prohibits routine euthanasia No chimpanzee can be killed simply because they are no longer of “use,” the facility is overpopulated, or they are too costly to maintain Euthanasia as a humane option during an intractable illness is permitted.” This is a significant moral and ethical advancement in a country where millions of dogs and cats are euthanized annually due to overpopulation There is hope for a county’s moral conduct when the responsibility to preserve lives transcends speciesism to include great apes Most animal rights advocates believe that regardless of how a chimp comes to a sanctuary, whether it is research, entertainment, a roadside zoo or the pet trade, fundamentally humans have failed Chimpanzees should not be kept captive for the use of humans It is impossible to provide an environment that exactly mimics their natural habitat The goal for sanctuaries is that they eventually