A CAARE investigation has revealed that John Hopkins University has been keeping monkeys cruelly confined in a laboratory to study the problem of human gambling.  We have learned that at least two monkeys, Aragorn and Isildur, have been used in invasive brain experiments, including extreme confinement. 

In Aragorn’s case, he’s been subjected to these experiments for nearly a decade.

Monkeys like Aragorn and Isildur are taught to “gamble” by being subjected to prolonged fluid deprivation. Researchers reward them with miniscule amounts of water – droplets so small they are measured in thousandths of an ounce – when interacting with computer simulations.

Once they are trained, a hexagonal contraption is implanted into their brains that allows for the insertion of multiple electrodes to record neuronal activity. Throughout the experiments Aragorn and Isildur are shackled in full body restraints including a head locking device, while being held inside a noise-isolated chamber and wearing an eye-tracking device.

Pathological gambling, an addiction similar to substance abuse, exists only in humans.  It is unknown in the world of monkeys, making these experiments not just cruel but also totally useless for humans. 

Outrageously, over $5 million federal dollars have already been spent on this madness, while there are far more effective and human-based methods for studying gambling addiction.

Utilizing non-invasive brain monitoring, neuroscientists can directly study blood flow and electrical activity in the human brain as human volunteers carry out simulated casino games, including people with actual gambling disorders. 

Please help free Aragorn and Isildur from this nightmare. Sign your name to ask Johns Hopkins University to terminate these cruel and senseless experiments and release Aragorn, Isildur and the other monkeys to a sanctuary.