Their Turn - The Social Justice Movement of Our Time Their Turn - The Social Justice Movement of Our Time

Archives

Loud Protests Continue Despite Laurie Glimcher’s Resignation from NY Blood Center

November 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment


The News

On November 16th, two dozen activists staged a fourth protest at the home and office of Dr. Laurie Glimcher, urging her to issue a public statement demanding that the New York Blood Center (NYBC) reinstate funding for the chimps who the organization abandoned in Liberia after conducting experiments on them for 30 years and promising to provide them with lifelong care.

Dr. Glimcher, the Dean of Weill-Cornell Medicine, resigned from the Board of Directors of the NYBC as a result of the protests, but her decision to walk away from the scandal did nothing to help the 66 chimps who she and the other board members left to die.

Activists knock on the window at Cornell Medical School's library to ensure that students know that their Dean, Laurie Glimcher, abandoned chimpanzees with no food or water.

Activists knock on the window at Cornell Medical School’s library to ensure that students know that their Dean, Laurie Glimcher, abandoned chimpanzees with no food or water.

During the 2.5 hour protest, activists spoke to Dr. Glimcher’s neighbors, colleagues and students about the scandal. One woman, who claimed to be employed by Cornell, attempted to stop the loud chanting by telling activists that the protest was turning away blood donors. Cornell’s medical school, however, does not have a blood donation center.

A hungry chimpanzee goes to Laurie Glimcher's building to ask for food. Glimcher lives in a 6 bedroom, 7 bathroom condo.

A hungry chimpanzee asks Laurie Glimcher’s doorman for food. Glimcher lives in a 6 bedroom, 7 bathroom condo on the posh Upper East Side of Manhattan.

Laurie Glimcher’s neighbors are growing increasingly frustrated by the loud chanting outside of their windows, but activists say the chants and protests will continue until Dr. Glimcher makes amends.

Laurie Glimcher's neighbors are growing increasingly frustrated by the loud chanting outside of their windows, but the chants and protests will continue until Dr. Glimcher demands that NYBC reinstate the funding for the chimps.

Activists are committed to holding Laurie Glimcher accountable until she takes action on behalf of the chimps abandoned on her watch.

The protest comes one week after over 100 activists staged a massive demonstration at NYBC’s 50th anniversary fundraising gala where the organization’s donors were forced to navigate their way around a moving picket at the entrance to the building.

Activists in NYC protest the NY Blood Center and Laurie Glimcher, who served on the board when the decision was made to leave 66 chimps to die

Activists in NYC protest the NY Blood Center and Laurie Glimcher, who served on the board when the decision was made to leave 66 chimps to die

Your Turn

Please join the Facebook page: New York Blood Center: Do the Right Thing to participate in the online actions. If you live in New York City, please join the protests targeting NYBC board members at their homes and offices.

By leaving 66 chimps to die of starvation, Dr. Laurie Glimcher has failed to fulfill her promise to abide by the Hippocratic Oath

By leaving 66 chimps to die of starvation, Dr. Laurie Glimcher has failed to fulfill her promise to abide by the Hippocratic Oath.


Filed under: Experimentation
Tagged with: , , ,

Leaders Express Outrage Over NY Blood Center’s Decision to Abandon Lab Chimps

June 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment


The News

After ignoring inquiries from animal advocacy groups for weeks, the New York Blood Center (NYBC) admitted to the NY Times that it abandoned 66 former lab chimps in Liberia, leaving them to starve to death after using them in experiments for three decades: “We never had any obligation for care for the chimps, contractual or otherwise.” The NYBC’s stunning admission has sent shockwaves through great ape conservation and animal protection organizations worldwide.

NYBC has abandoned chimps who they used in experiments in Liberia from 1974 - 2006

NYBC has abandoned chimps who they used in experiments in Liberia from 1974 – 2006

In a public letter to the NYBC, Jane Goodall, the legendary chimpanzee researcher said it’s “completely shocking and unacceptable that NYBC would abandon these chimpanzees,” adding that it has a “moral obligation to continue to care for them for the remainder of their lives.”

Jane Goodall has expressed outrage at the NYBC's decision to abandon their research chimps

Jane Goodall has expressed outrage at the NYBC’s decision to abandon their research chimps (photo: National Geographic)

Betsy Brotman, the head of NYBC’s chimpanzee research program from 1974 – 2006, suggested that her former employer’s effort to shift responsibility to the Liberian government is unethical and deceptive: “We brought those chimps to the Institute and encouraged them to breed. This had nothing to do with the Liberian government.”

Betsy Brotman ran the NY Blood Center's chimp research facility in Liberia

Betsy Brotman ran the NY Blood Center’s chimp research facility in Liberia

Ms. Brotman, who says that NYBC has an obligation to pay for the care of the chimps, is outraged by the organization’s callousness: “This is awful. It’s unspeakably awful.” Primatologist Brian Hare agrees. In an interview with the NY times, Dr Hare, who has studied wild and captive great apes around the world, said he has “never seen anything even remotely as disgusting as this.”

Caretaker feeds New York Blood Center's former lab chimps

Caretaker feeds New York Blood Center’s former lab chimps

Florida Attorney Wally Baldwin, a Board Member of Center for Great Apes, said “When the news broke that the NYBC was abandoning the chimps, I thought they’d say ‘there’s been a misunderstanding’ and reinstate the funding. I was stunned to discover that the news was true.”

Christopher Hillyer, CEO of NYBC who earns over $1.2 million/year, has left chimps to starve to death.

Christopher Hillyer, CEO of NYBC who earns over $1.2 million/year, has left chimps to starve

The NYBC has attributed its decision to cut funding for the chimps to difficult economic times for blood banks. Michael Budkie, the Director of Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN) says that’s a poor excuse: “The NYBC has $400 million in assets; earns $320 million in annual income; and pays its President, Christopher Hillyer, over $1.2 million a year. Do they really expect us to believe that they don’t have the money to provide food and water for these animals?”

Your Turn

Please join the Facebook page New York Blood Center: Do the Right Thing and participate in the calls to action.

Call Christopher Hillyer, the President & CEO of the NY Blood Center, and demand that his organization fulfills its obligation and promise to provide lifelong care to the chimpanzees used in their medical experiments: (212) 570-3000.

 


Filed under: Experimentation
Tagged with: , , , , ,