See this alert on Primate Patrol

A recently filmed episode of the Lifetime Television show Drop Dead Diva will feature a chimpanzee named Suzy. Despite a whistleblower’s account of abuse on-set and chimpanzee experts reaching out to the show’s team, producers of the show are still planning to air this episode.

Please send a polite letter to Lifetime asking them not to air this segment of Drop Dead Diva. Your letters can make a difference – last year the producers of Dancing with the Stars made the right decision and dropped a chimpanzee clip from the show after hearing from concerned advocates.

BY Bill Hutchinson | DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER | Sunday, April 11th 2010, 11:09 PM

It's a fight club for orangutans.

A safari theme park in Thailand has become a macabre tourist attraction for its orangutan kick boxing matches - complete with simian "round card girls."

US TV show ‘Dancing With the Stars' decided not to use footage of a performing chimp following complaints.   The chimpanzee "actor" was filmed supposedly predicting the winner of the show. But after primate protection organisations contacted the show's Executive Producer, a decision was made to not broadcast the footage of the chimpanzee.   In response to Dr. Shirley McGreal of IPPL, Executive Producer Conrad Green wrote:   "If I had been aware of the information you outlined below I wouldn't have proceeded with the shoot in the first place, so I've decided on balance to re-cut the package we use in tonight's show to remove any footage of the chimpanzee. While I can't undo the fact that we did shoot with a chimpanzee I will be sure we don't do this again in the future."   Thanks to everyone who emailed the show.

An Ape Alliance campaign opposing the use of a macaque in a TV advert by the European Commission has been successful!   The anti-smoking commercial featuring a macaque monkey chained around the neck and sitting on a woman's shoulder, screwing up a cigarette packet as she tries to smoke, was broadcast across Europe earlier this year.   On behalf of the Ape Alliance, the Captive Animals' Protection Society (CAPS) www.captiveanimals.org wrote to the Commission, advertising agency and UK MEPs calling for the ad to be stopped and for it to be removed from the Commission's website. It was immediately taken off the English and Irish language websites but has finally been removed from all of the different language websites of the EC's HELP campaign.   The Monkey Sanctuary Trust (UK) and FAADA (Spain) also put a lot of effort into this campaign.   In response to a Written Question by Spanish MEP Raül Romeva about the ad, Commissioner for Health Androulla Vassiliou responded to the campaign by saying:   "[Wild] animal species, and in particular primates, should not be used in a way that could encourage their keeping as pet animals. ... The Commission attaches great importance to animal welfare and animals are recognised as sentient beings by the Protocol on Animal Welfare annexed to the EC Treaty.   "Therefore, this particular advert will not be used in for the next phase of the Help 2.0 campaign to be launched in January 2010."   Raül Romeva also called on the Commission to sign a pledge not to use wild animals in future adverts, a move backed by other MEPs including ones across the UK contacted by CAPS.

JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN  

Associated Press Writer Russ Cochran fondly recalls the fun he had with his chimpanzee when the animal was younger, taking him for rides in the car and to his cabin on the river. Boaters would stop to see Sammy, who would jump in canoes and help himself to food and drinks from the cooler.   "That would be the price of admission for him," Cochran says. "He would drink beer if you let him. He liked beer."  

A recent episode of NBC's 30 Rock featured a young gibbon named "Little Jenna" dressed in human clothing and toted around like a doll. The gibbon is also featured on NBC's website promoting a "Best Dressed Pets" contest, which irresponsibly promotes keeping primates as pets.

Please send a letter or email to NBC letting them know that gibbons are not props and shouldn't be exploited for a cheap laugh.  Read on for a sample letter.