Hello, my name is
Spud

About Me

I was born on either January 2 or August 2, 1982, at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP), a lab in New York State that closed in 1997. Both birth dates are listed in my record, so I can’t be certain which is correct. At LEMSIP, I was isolated for years in a 5’ x 5’ x 7’ cage. Although Save the Chimps does not know what sorts of experiments I was used in at LEMSIP, they do know that my liver was biopsied at least 46 times. In 1997, LEMSIP closed and I was shipped to The Coulston Foundation, a laboratory in New Mexico. While at Coulston, I was used in an extremely invasive and painful experiment, known as “Spinal Dynamics.” A healthy cervical disc was removed from my spine, and replaced with a prosthetic disc.

In 2002, The Coulston Foundation went bankrupt, and Save the Chimps stepped in to rescue me and 265 other chimpanzees. I joined Rufus’s Group, the largest chimpanzee family at Save the Chimps. I was released with my new friends onto a spacious, sunny island home at Save the Chimps’ sanctuary in Florida. I am known for my energy and power—and I love to make a lot of noise! But like most tough guys, I have a soft side, and after a vigorous display of strength, I will sit down and gaze lovingly into your eyes.