Fouts later became a primate rights activist after learning about the deplorable conditions found in research labs throughout the United States and Europe. Chimps can live up to 50 years, and they spend their entire lives in isolation in metal cages the size of a washing machine with no blankets or toys or anything else to keep them stimulated. Chimps are just like usthey are sentient beings who are aware of their own existence and possess the full range of human feelings and emotions. Fouts first chimp was a female named Washoe. Washoe became pregnant twice, but she lost both babies within hours after they were born, and grieved just like a human mother does. When one of Fouts research assistants became pregnant with her first child, Washoe showed an intense interest in her pregnancy. The assistant later had a miscarriage. When she returned to work, Washoe ran up to her and signed WHERE YOUR BABY? The assistant signed back MY BABY DIE. Washoe signed back CRY HURRY COME HUG. But these sentient creatures are routinely subjected to severe, torturous abuse in biomedical laboratories. They are subjected to repeated experimentation throughout their lives and are injected with live HIV and hepatitis C viruses, and undergo repeated experimental surgical procedures.
Another one of Fouts chimps was a male named Booee who was sold against Fouts will to a biomed lab. After Fouts became an animal rights activist, he went on national television to expose the conditions that these primates are forced to live in. He went to the lab where Booee was being kept, along with Hugh Downs and a camera crew from 20/20. Booee was lying face down in his cage, motionless. He had given up all will to live. As soon as he saw Fouts, he screamed with joy and signed ROGER ROGER HURRY COME HUG BOOEE. Fouts and Booee hadnt seen each other in 17 years. After a few hours, Fouts had to say goodbye to Booee. Booee curled up in the corner of his cage, crying and rocking back and forth.
The story has a happy ending, though. Fouts later raised enough money to buy Booee back from the lab and transfer him to a wild animal refuge in Los Angeles, where he now lives in a large open air enclosure with 25 other chimps. Fouts has also been successful in persuading Congress to mandate legislation that improves the conditions found in the biomedical industry. After more than 30 years of working with chimpanzees, Fouts is still actively working to achieve a global recognition of the rights of non-human primates.
