Urge the DeYoung Family Zoo to Retire Chimpanzees to Accredited Sanctuaries!

In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a dreadful roadside zoo called the DeYoung Family Zoo exploits chimpanzees—including Louie, who it kept in complete isolation from other members of his species for the first several years of his life. He was shipped to Michigan as an infant, and rather than being nurtured by his mother, he was forced to be a prop for photo ops at the facility. The harsh Upper Peninsula winters mean the chimpanzees spend much of their time indoors, requiring extra mental stimulation. It’s past time that Louie and all other chimpanzees at DeYoung got the space to roam and the complex enrichment and care that they need at accredited sanctuaries.

Chimpanzees live in large groups in the wild. Youngsters wrestle with and playfully chase each other and follow their mothers around everywhere while they learn how to find food and make tools. They aren’t weaned until they’re 4 or 5 years old, and male chimpanzees never leave the group that they’re born into, so the mother-son bond is extremely strong. Louie was never afforded the opportunity to know his mother, and just like humans, he and other chimpanzees are capable of suffering from loneliness, frustration, and depression. When he grew too big to be used for photo ops, the DeYoung Family Zoo put him on display for gawking tourists.

Speak up today by urging the roadside zoo to work with the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance to make a plan to retire the chimpanzees to accredited sanctuaries, where they could enjoy dynamic social stimulation, an abundance of enrichment, and ample space to roam, climb, and play outdoors year-round.

Please feel free to use our sample letter, but remember that using your own words is always more effective.