The desperate screams of fear captured on video by an HSUS undercover investigator speak volumes. This, coupled with hours of dreary boredom, is the life that more than 1,000 chimpanzees in US laboratories are forced to endure—some for over 50 years. But, with your help, The HSUS is working to make their suffering a thing of the past.
Midge spends his days lounging in the sun at The HSUS’s Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch—a sanctuary for rescued animals. But Midge’s life wasn’t always so carefree. This playful chimpanzee spent his first twenty years in a research laboratory, a traumatic experience that took a toll on his physical and mental health.
As people learn about the conditions that chimpanzees—highly intelligent and social animals who feel happiness, sorrow, pain and loneliness—are forced to endure in laboratories, pressure mounts to end their use in harmful research altogether, as has been done in so many other countries.
Watch The Video
Right now, the lives of nine chimpanzees kept at a Louisiana research facility are in limbo. Either they'll be considered for biomedical testing, or they’re sent to sanctuary. Ask decision-makers to do the right thing.
You Can Help
Tell the government to give captive chimpanzees the same protections as wild chimpanzees under the Endangered Species Act. TAKE ACTION »
Ask your Members of Congress to co-sponsor the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act, which would phase out harmful research on chimpanzees in laboratories and retire the approximately 500 federally owned chimpanzees to permanent sanctuary.TAKE ACTION »
Rescue the chimps featured in the video from life in a research lab—urge decision-makers to send a group of five adult chimpanzees and their four babies to a sanctuary rather than use them in potentially harmful research. TAKE ACTION »
News & Events
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December 29, 2011
2011: Beautiful Victories for Animals in Laboratories
What do Botox, the Endangered Species Act, and biomedical research have in common? Find out about The HSUS's work to protect animals in laboratories in 2011.
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December 22, 2011
Shareholder Proposal Urges Idenix Pharmaceuticals to End the Use of Chimpanzees in Invasive Experiments
The Humane Society of the United States submitted a shareholder resolution asking Idenix Pharmaceuticals to publicly commit to phasing out its use of chimpanzees in invasive research by Dec. 15, 2012.
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December 15, 2011
Wayne's Blog: New Report Confirms Invasive Biomedical Research on Chimps is Unnecessary
HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle discusses a landmark Institute of Medicine report confirming that the current use of chimpanzees for invasive biomedical research is “largely unnecessary.”
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December 15, 2011
The HSUS Praises Institute of Medicine Finding That Invasive Biomedical Chimpanzee Experiments Are “Not Necessary”
The Humane Society of the United States is “tremendously encouraged” by the Institute of Medicine’s conclusion that the current use of chimpanzees for invasive biomedical research is not scientifically necessary. This finding, among others, is found in the IOM’s report entitled “Chimpanzees in Biomedical and Behavioral Research: Assessing the Necessity,” which was released today.
Our Victories
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January 20, 2012
Victory in Battle over Monkey-Breeding Facility
Following a highly publicized battle, Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court has ruled that Bioculture’s monkey breeding facility in Guayamna was constructed illegally and cannot operate.
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December 29, 2011
2011: Beautiful Victories for Animals in Laboratories
What do Botox, the Endangered Species Act, and biomedical research have in common? Find out about The HSUS's work to protect animals in laboratories in 2011.
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July 27, 2011
Research Institutions Respond to Pressure
In response to pressure from constituent emails generated by an action alert, several institutions have confirmed that they no longer use, or are currently moving away from using, dogs and cats obtained by Class B dealers.
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June 29, 2011
Animal Testing Policy Gets a Facelift
HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle discusses Botox manufacturer Allergan's recent announcement that the company has developed—and received federal approval for—a new procedure that avoids using animals in testing the popular anti-wrinkle treatment.

