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American Morning

Ask CNN: How Can We Prevent Chimpanzees From Being Mistreated?

Aired June 14, 2001 - 09:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENNY NESMITH, ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Hi, my name is Jenny NeSmith. I'm from -- I'm from Atlanta, Georgia, and I have a question for Jane Goodall. As the next generation, how can we prevent chimpanzees from being mistreated either by experimentation or being held captive?

JANE GOODALL, FOUNDER, THE JANE GOODALL INSTITUTE: Jenny, there is so much cruelty in the world. And one of my biggest struggles is to help people understand that we humans are not separated from the rest of the animal kingdom by a sharp line and that animals, other than humans, also have personalities, minds and feelings.

It's pretty easy, really, to stop chimpanzees being abused in say circuses and entertainment because we just shouldn't go to circuses that do that. And we shouldn't look at television or go to movies where chimps are being tortured and made to perform. And the chimps in medical research, that situation is sort of improving. They're needing less chimps. They find they're not useful for aids research, and we have to work harder to find alternatives.

We have to realize that these chimpanzees are so like us. They can live to be 60 years and it's wrong to keep them in five-foot-by- five-foot cages.

So you can write letters and protest. Join Roots and Shoots and we can tell you exactly what to do and how to do it best.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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