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Emma and Jackson News
EMMA AND JACKSON ARE HOME IN BEND, OREGON FOREVER!
 Chimps
Inc. is raising its glasses high
and toasting to Emma and Jackson. The two chimpanzees were removed
from Primarily Primates (PPI) in 2007 and relocated to Chimps Inc.
during the pendency of a lawsuit filed by the Texas Attorney General
against the San Antonio group. We are now thrilled to announce that
Chimps Inc., the International Primate Protection League and PPI
have settled the case; subsequently ending the two pending federal
lawsuits. This agreement affirms that Emma and Jackson are home in
Bend, Oregon forever!
Chimps Inc. hopes that this agreement will help demonstrate that
animals are not
just property, regardless of the current law. Instead, these
sentient beings have physical, emotional, and psychological
interests that must be accounted for. For Emma and Jackson that
means that they can live their lives, unfettered, with a supportive
chimpanzee family for the remainder of their 50+ years at Chimps
Inc.
 Emma
and Jackson have both shed many of the atypical behaviors that they
arrived here with. Our primary focus will continue to be
facilitating Emma and Jackson in their development. In doing so, we
will carry on with integrating both of them with our other adult
male, Herbie. Providing further connections with adult chimpanzees
will assist them in their physical and emotional growth, in addition
to fostering healthy chimpanzee behaviors. Furthermore, our
extensive indoor and outdoor habitats allow Emma and Jackson to run,
play and expend their energy. Though Chimps Inc. has one of the
largest enclosure spaces per individual chimpanzee, we will continue
to concentrate on future expansion projects.
The custody battle over Emma and Jackson is one of the most
agonizing and
taxing situations that our organization has ever been faced with.
It is because of our lawyer Bruce Wagman, from Schiff Hardin, and
the support from all of our chimp friends, that we have overcome
this hardship. Thank you for supporting Chimps Inc. and our mission
to provide the best life long care for chimpanzees.
Spring 2008 Emma and
Jackson Update
 Many of you
know that Chimps Inc. and the International Primate Protection
League (IPPL) are involved in a lawsuit regarding the custody of
Emma and Jackson and twelve gibbons currently residing at the
IPPL sanctuary in Carolina. The federal lawsuit was filed
against Primarily Primates last year to ensure that the animals
that were relocated to our sanctuaries would reside at their
current homes indefinitely. The month of March marks Emma and
Jackson’s one year anniversary in their new home. Throughout
the year, Emma and Jackson have had the time to make family
connections with other chimpanzees, overcome many of the
psychological maladies that they arrived here with, regained
confidence and adopted proper captive chimpanzee mannerisms.
A recent order
by the federal court dismissed the case. The court determined we
[each of the plaintiffs] had not spent $75,000 on the animals, which
is the minimum amount of money required to file in federal court.
Since Chimps Inc. has been able to show that we have spent over
$100,000 on Emma and Jackson we have refiled our case (less than a
day after the ruling) in the federal court of Oregon.
Despite the fact that Chimps Inc.
and IPPL have legal rights to the guardianship of the animals, the
reason that we have continued our lawsuit is to protect the
family groups that have developed over the last year. Chimpanzees,
like humans form strong family bonds which they maintain for a
lifetime. They demonstrate emotions similar to those we call love,
anxiety (such as when separated from one another), fear, and
trauma. These emotional and cognitive faculties warrant them moral
consideration. Uprooting Emma and Jackson from the only chimpanzee
family they have ever known will inflict untold psychological damage
and relocating them threatens their health and well-being.
To add to our mounting dismay we
have learned that Primarily Primates has decided to file a
second lawsuit against Chimps Inc. and IPPL in the state of
Texas. Consequently, we are now fighting two lawsuits in
two different states involving our animals. It is
unfortunate that everyone involved has to spend their valuable
dollars to pay for the costly legal fight when this is money
that would otherwise go directly to the animals. Chimps
Inc. will continue to ensure Emma’s and Jackson’s best interests
and well-being are cared for at Chimps Inc. We thank all
of our friends and members for their support during this time.
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