True Blood’ Kristin Bauer van Straten has started a petition in support of chimpanzees. As many know Kristin is a very active advocate for animal welfare and below is what she has to say about her the reasons for speaking out in their defense.
I’ve been working with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine to speak out against chimpanzee experiments in the United States. Now we have an opportunity to protect all chimpanzees in captivity in the U.S.
Chimpanzees have been recognized as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1990, but only wild chimpanzees are protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Captive chimpanzees in the U.S. used in painful experiments, entertainment and kept as pets don’t get any of the protections given to chimpanzees in the wild.
Studies have shown that when people see chimpanzees used in commercials and interacting with people in the media, it leads them to believe that chimpanzees not only make good pets, but that they aren’t even endangered.
The exploitation of captive chimpanzees undermines international efforts to save the species, which could be extinct in as few as 10 years. Thanks to the appeal of a coalition of animal protection groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reevaluating the status of captive chimpanzees. Please ask the agency to protect all chimpanzees by listing captive chimpanzees as endangered before wild populations become extinct.
SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS: Please join me and PCRM in signing and sharing this petition, as well as submitting comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: http://chn.ge/qmXFPX
Protect All Chimpanzees! This is an unusual opportunity to make your voice heard and help chimpanzees! Contact U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Today.
Here are some talking points you can use to personalize your message:
- Please protect all chimpanzees by listing captive chimpanzees as endangered
- Studies have found that the prevalence of chimpanzees in the media harms conservation efforts
- The exploitation of chimpanzees in painful experiments, entertainment, and as pets is cruel and unethical.
- If captive chimpanzees in the United States are not listed as “endangered,” it will contribute to the further decline of wild populations.
Please help Kristin by signing the petition. To sign, go to: change.org
