For Lulu, life was not carefree for many years. A female chimpanzee at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) in Tuxedo, N.Y., Lulu suffered behind bars daily, undergoing biomedical research. When the facility closed its doors in 1997, Lulu and her fellow chimp companion, Midge, were fortunate to find sanctuary at the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch.
It is estimated that the LEMSIP facility housed close to 600 primates—primarily chimpanzees and monkeys—who were used in reproduction, blood transfusions, and research for hepatitis B and HIV (Project R&R). Chimpanzees were allegedly not allowed to go outdoors, because staff members were concerned about the spread of germs. Breeding programs at LEMSIP kept females in a constant reproduction cycle, and the infants were allegedly removed at the age of one to be handled by humans. Those who were not part of the breeding program were used as subjects in biomedical research.
At least one reason for LEMSIP's closure was the change in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) caging requirements—upgrades that would have cost the university millions of dollars. When the facility was shut down, most of the primates were given to the Coulston Foundation, despite the fact that the USDA had levied charges against Coulston for negligent deaths and violations of animal welfare laws. NYU students protested, but many of the animals' cruel fates remained unchanged. Fortunately for some, LEMSIP's veterinarian successfully placed hundreds of chimps and monkeys in animal sanctuaries around the country, including Lulu and Midge.
There are no surviving records to shed light on Lulu's early history. She was likely born in 1964 and may have been caught in the wild. The medical reports from LEMSIP indicate that she and Midge were housed together and used in hepatitis—and possibly HIV—research. When they came to the ranch in 1997, both became companions of Nim Chimpsky, a famous ranch resident who was able to speak in American Sign Language, until Nim's passing in 2000.
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