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Chimpanzees in Entertainment: The Facts
- Chimpanzee "actors" are babies. They are taken from their mothers at birth, which causes irreparable psychological harm.
- The cozy relationship that chimpanzees often appear to have with their trainers is very deceptive. Methods used to train chimpanzees are based in fear and physical and psychological domination.
- Trainers physically abuse chimpanzees using their fists, hammers, lead pipes, and even broom handles. Shock devices are also sometimes used.
- Most people don't know that the "grin" so often displayed by chimpanzees in entertainment is actually a grimace of fear.
- Living conditions at training compounds are often deplorable, including dark, small cages, little or no enrichment, and sometimes solitary confinement.
- The American Humane Association's "No animals were harmed in the making of this film" seal of approval doesn't cover pre-production training, during which time there is the greatest potential for abuse.
- By giving the public the false impression that chimpanzees are not endangered in the wild, the use of chimpanzees in entertainment seriously impacts conservation efforts.
- By portraying chimpanzees as cute and childlike animals, viewers are led to believe that they make good pets, which couldn't be further from the truth.
- Chimpanzee "actors" are typically retired from entertainment at 7 or 8 years of age, after which they are often dumped at roadside zoos or other substandard facilities. Often they are sold into biomedical research.