Thank you so much to all our supporters who’ve joined us in grieving the passing of our first client–Tommy the chimpanzee. When we first found Tommy in 2013, he was living alone in a cage in a used trailer lot in Gloversville, New York. Public records received by the NhRP on Nov. 30th indicate that in February of 2022, he was found dead, curled up alone in his “sleeping spot” inside a building at a Michigan roadside zoo called the DeYoung Family Zoo. We deeply mourn his loss, but even more so, we lament that Tommy was not mourned the way he should’ve been: by a chimpanzee family he never got to have, deep in a lush tropical rainforest he never got to experience.
Humans took everything away from Tommy, first and foremost his freedom, and he suffered because of it his whole life. Seven chimpanzees remain in the DeYoung Family Zoo. Today, we filed a lawsuit on their behalf–demanding their right to liberty and their release to a sanctuary where they’ll be able to live and thrive as the autonomous beings they are.
On Dec. 12th, we’ll be hosting a special Zoom conversation about this case and Tommy’s life. We’d be honored if you’d join us. You can register here and submit questions in advance by replying to this email. |
At the end of the day, what we’re asking for is simple: for our clients to be able to live their lives as chimpanzees. We look forward to fighting for them and are grateful for your support, John. I hope to see you on the 12th.
With all my thanks,
Elizabeth Stein Litigation Director, the NhRP
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