Washington

A controversial facility in New Mexico that houses chimpanzees for research is facing a serious threat to its survival.

Down and out: researchers are worried that the Coulston chimps could end up homeless. Credit: CRYSTAL MILLER/AAVS

The Coulston Foundation's facility at Alamogordo has weathered years of financial problems, regulatory troubles and animal-rights protests. But now a New Mexico bank has filed a foreclosure lawsuit against the foundation, which houses about 250 chimps. The bank alleges that Frederick Coulston and his foundation have defaulted on over $1.16 million in loan repayments.

It is unclear how the foundation will deal with the lawsuit. A representative declined to comment, referring enquires to Coulston's lawyer, who did not return telephone calls.

But Joe Bielitzki, a member of the board of the Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW), a non-profit group that supports animal research and promotes the humane treatment of research animals, says that researchers are concerned about what will happen to the chimps if the foundation shuts down. “Everybody assumes that the National Institutes of Health or somebody would pick up the ball and run with it, but the question is who has responsibility for these animals,” he says. “It's a really sticky, ugly situation.”

Over the past three years, the foundation has lost all of its funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Last year, the NIH's National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) removed the chimps from Coulston's responsibility — although they are still held in the same compound at Alamogordo. In 1999, the NIH decided against renewing two other grants to Coulston.

In July, the US Department of Agriculture alleged that the foundation had violated the Animal Welfare Act before the deaths of two chimps. In October, the Food and Drug Administration refused to grant permits for new experiments by the foundation.

The foundation has also long been a target of animal-rights protesters. Last September, the Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility for a fire at Coulston's facility.

Space for chimps in the United States is limited, and the issue of their long-term care is problematic. Chimps are now rarely used in research, and this year the NCRR will award a $5-million contract for the construction of a 'sanctuary' to house about 200 retired chimps. However, this will not be ready for several years, and the NIH has already allocated animals to it.