The Plea for the Chimpanzees
In the story “The Plea for the Chimpanzees” by Jane Goodall, Jane writes of a personal experience on her visit to a testing center where they use various primates to test products, one being chimpanzees. She was very upset with what she had seen during her visit. Chimpanzees were being treated horribly during and after being tested. Their living conditions were not what she would have thought them to be. They were quite worse. They had very little a social life with other chimpanzees or even humans.
I think if we are going to use chimps to test products or inject them with our major diseases, then the least we can do is give back a little bit of freedom to run and play in a closed, safe environment and offer some compassion and love to these animals who are helping us find cures for the serious diseases we are fighting every day. It is proven that if the chimpanzees were in the presence of trusted caregivers, who are understanding of animal behavior, and dedicated, they would react to treatments without being uncomfortable. At the Stanford Primate Center in California, a number of chimpanzees were taught to extend their arms for the drawing of blood. In return they were given a food reward. ” (Page 369) We should provide loving and carrying staff to the chimpanzees.If the staff were more caring, then it will make their job so much better and easier to test the chimps. If the tested Chimpanzees were introduced to loving caregiver to interact with or even a chimp who was injected with the same disease, it would help with the major problem of chimpanzees going insane by isolation.
A youngster, for example, can be treated when in the presence of a trusted human friend. Experiments have shown that young chimps react with high levels of distress if subjected to mild electric shocks when alone, but show almost no fear or pain when held by a sympathetic caretaker. ” (Page 369) Along with caring staff, the chimps should be given the opportunity to have a sanitary and safe play room. The chimps should be provided with sanitary and safe playing equipment. A variety of simple toys and objects and be provided with little cost. It wouldn’t cost a lot of money to provide happiness to the animals that have no freedom.They also should be provided with some kind of toy that could help them feel comfortable, such as a small blanket or stuffed animal that can be cleaned easily.
Offering these objects can help chimpanzees with depression, and also help if one chimp has to be isolated from any interaction from humans or other primates. In my opinion, I feel it is very wrong to be treating these animals this way. But, I know if we don’t than it would be very hard to find cures to our major diseases. But, if we are going to take away these animals’ rights and freedom, the least we can do is provide them with care and love while being tested on.It is very upsetting to hear how these animals are isolated in cages that are too small for them to spread out to stretch, or at least be given some affection. How can their caretakers just sit back and watch the animals in so much distress or hear their cries, and not care? These animals need the loving support while being poked and prodded and taking away their health. If these animals were shown some love, bigger cages and play time, it will greatly change the way the animal react to treatment and help the caretakers with making their job easier.
