Chicago-based CareerBuilder has once again drawn the ire of animal advocates because of its latest highly insensitive television advertisement to be debuted during the Super Bowl XLVI, which features costumed chimpanzees. Advocates charge that CareerBuilder is exploiting an endangered species and are asking them once again to stop this practice.

Mason was being treated for cardiovascular disease as are so many great apes in captivity. On Saturday morning the news came that it was time to say goodbye to our dear Mason.

CareerBuilder chose chimpanzees to depict the workplace because they are the most human-like and best suited to convey humorous experiences commonly found at work, McIntyre said. “They are the animal with which people would most readily identify.”  Yet the ads also have been a target for animal-rights groups that decry the chimps’ usage as inhumane. So why use them again?  Read the whole story here.

Before new medications and medical procedures can be tested in humans, they are typically tested in animals, who serve as “model systems” to determine their safety and efficacy. The use of animals in research is an understood and, in many ways, integral part of medicine. But about a year ago, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) commissioned a long-term study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to evaluate the necessity of using chimpanzees in medical research. The IOM released their findings last month, arguing that the use of chimpanzees should be significantly curtailed. But the researchers remained undecided on a couple of important issues, read the entire article here.

The chimpanzees have enjoyed celebrating the holidays in the last few weeks in a variety of ways. This time of year we all love the music, lights, and goodies that go along with the season. The chimpanzees are no different!