The Fauna Sanctuary

Even though research on chimps is funded by taxpayer dollars, many of the places in which they're held resist and refuse to release information about the animals they test on. Places like the Fauna Sanctuary, which is home to several chimps retired from medical research, painstakingly piece together the stories of their lives: like Pablo, born in 1970 in Africa and stolen from his mother to spend his life in the circus, at a breeding facility, and finally as a victim of biomedical research.

Years of harrowing medical research caused him to scream, hug himself, and throw himself around the room in fear whenever he was approached for any medical procedure. Upon his arrival at the sanctuary, Fauna Foundation workers describe him:

"...his physical appearance was one of an individual who has seen it all; he was weathered and worn out, hardened and suspicious. He limped and of the fingers and toes he had left, all were deformed. This guy had very obviously been through a great deal but never had the respect he deserved for his service to humans.

Pablo's greatest times at Fauna were spent with his chimpanzee friends and adopted family. He was truly one of the most social fellows at Fauna, and could often be seen sharing a snack, playing a game of chase, or just laying in the sun up on a high platform next to three or four of his companions. He cared about the others in his new family and would always be at their side in times of need.

One of the saddest things about chimps in labs is that their individual relationships, which are so vitally important to them, aren't respected; they are moved without a thought to the friendships they've made, if they've even been allowed to socialize at all.

Pablo died in 2001, but not after having a little bit of freedom and joy after his long years of servitude.