Police Officer Kills Chimp That Escaped From Central Texas Research Facility
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Police Officer Kills Chimp That Escaped From Central Texas Research Facility
PETA has filed a complaint after a police officer ended up killing a chimp that escaped from a Central Texas cancer research facility.
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(March 13, 2008)--A research chimpanzee has been shot and killed after he escaped from an enclosure at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center facility in Bastrop.

A team that specializes in safe animal capture tried to catch 18-year-old "Tony" the chimp for about 45 minutes after he escaped Wednesday.

Officials used at least one tranquilizer dart before a police officer fatally shot the animal.

It was the second time since November that a chimp escaped from the Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research.

In the first incident, a 17-year-old chimpanzee named "Jake" got out of his enclosure, but officials were able to sedate the animal.

Center director Christian Abee says standard operating procedures were followed after this week's escape.

The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Latest Comments

Posted by: linda Location: us on Aug 6, 2008 at 09:18 PM

you should leave the research to the humans .what did these animals ever do to any of us. what a bout if we do research on you you know exspearment wity your lifes.
Posted by: Kenya Location: New Mexico on Mar 15, 2008 at 02:40 PM

'Why is PETA mad at the officer for doing his job, protecting persons from a possibly dangerous situation? Why is PETA not upset with the M.D. Anderson facility for doing research on these animals?' To clarify, PETA's complaint is being submitted to the USDA which oversees the lab, not the police. Their problem is indeed with the lab that is housing the chimps in the first place, and they are upset that they are doing research on chimps. Nowhere does it say that PETA is going after the officer. I am sure the officer did what s/he thought was best, but that doesn't mean we can't question it and mourn the chimp's death. With regards to 'Outbreak'--well, that was a movie and does not reflect real life. Even if the chimp (which is an ape, not a monkey) was infected with HIV or hepatitis because the lab deliberately gave it to him, it makes him no more of a risk than a human with HIV or hepatitis, and last time I checked we didn't go around shooting people with AIDS or Hep C.
Posted by: Mary Location: Copperas Cove on Mar 15, 2008 at 12:39 PM

Laraysha, I'm not going to say anything about the rights or wrongs of using animals for tests. But I will say that you obviously know nothing about chimpanzees if you think adult chimpanzees are defenseless. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have this mistaken view of chimpanzees as these friendly little creatures, and they may be sweet and cute when they are little, but an adult chimpanzee is far, far stronger than any man of the same size. They can be temperamental, and they do get angry, and they do get violent.
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