Accountability?

Priscilla Feral, the President of Friends of Animals and new head of the board of PPI claims “there will be accountability”.

But to whom will these people be accountable? And why, given their failures for over a decade, should anyone believe that they will now suddenly become accountable?

In a letter Feral wrote to Wally Swett over 15 years ago that was entered into evidence with the court, Feral admits to covering up for Swett’s substance abuse and mental health problems. She also raises concerns about the bad influence Stephen Tello was having (and now she is claiming he is most qualified to run PPI). Feral wrote:

“When you had 300 animals, I was worried that you wouldn’t draw the line. Now there are 500 and as long as Stephen is involved, there seems to be no stopping you, yet I sit in fear that all hell will break loose in February and that Stephen’s behavior toward you will have everything to do with it.”

Feral was aware of the decline at PPI long before the OSU chimps and monkeys were sent there and the heroic efforts to reform PPI began, but apparently was not accountable.

A court appointed independent inspector in May 2006 reported that:

“In 1999, 32 Air Force chimps were brought to Primarily Primates and today there are only 16 on site, a 50% loss in 7 years.

In the last 3 years, 11 chimps have died… that is a 18% death loss for chimps alone, which is higher than would be expected. During this 3 year period there have been about 124 deaths of mammals, mostly monkeys, and not including birds, which at the estimate of 800 animals, comes to 15.5% per year death loss.”

Two of the board members as well as Tello and Feral must have known of these tragic losses, but were not accountable.

Friends of Animals itself does not meet all of the Better Business Bureau’s standards for Charitable Accountability!

If evidence from past behavior is any indication, there is very little reason to believe these people will be accountable for their actions – and it is the animals who will suffer.

Chimpanzees are not "high" or "low" value Commodities!

Expert testimony, legal affidavits, video and photographic documentation, and on site accounts by dozens of people have indicated that there are serious problems at PPI, problems that will be expensive to correct. Friends of Animals apparently has already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal expenses and will hopefully be spending much more so that PPI can be brought up to contemporary sanctuary standards.

But apparently they are focused on reclaiming what they have called “high-value animals.” Even if that reclamation leads to chimpanzee pain and in the case of Sarah and Sheba, possible death.

Bringing the former OSU chimpanzees back to the place where they experienced so much trauma will cause them severe distress and unnecessary suffering.

In a letter to the Judge, Dr. Jane Goodall stated:
“I understand that the Attorney General has even promised to use his best efforts to return the seven surviving former Ohio State University (“OSU”) chimpanzees to Primarily Primates. I believe that the safety and welfare of these animals would be jeopardized by disrupting their rehabilitation at Chimp Haven which, as I understand, has been going extremely well.

To remove these sentient beings from what is reported to be a sensitive and caring facility to another facility where the conditions, I understand, are not as good would, in my opinion, subject them to unacceptable levels of psychological stress.”

She goes on to say “Any transport at all is a highly stressful experience for chimpanzees, even one which moves them to a peaceful and pleasant environment. For the OSU animals to have to suffer yet another move again may very well subject them to yet more trauma, which is a senseless outcome. The well-being of these courageous survivors must now be taken into consideration.”

In addition, the move will take space and resources away from the animals that are already at PPI and those animals need everything they can get. And it will be even more expensive for PPI. Darrell, Sarah, Sheba, Emma, Harper, Ivy and Keeli are safe and comfortable at Chimp Haven. There is absolutely no possibility they will be sent to research as they are not covered under the CHIMP Act. Moving them back to PPI doesn’t make economic sense and it doesn’t make ethical sense.

After everything the "Magnificent 7" have been through it is heartbreaking to think that they may once again be betrayed and used as pawns, rather than respected as sentient, intelligent independently valuable beings.