SUMMIT, NJ -- According to organizers, dozens of animal advocates will stage a second protest at the Lenox Road home of MetLife CEO Steven Kandarian July 10, from 4:30 - 7 p.m.
Advocates are planning to march from the Starbucks, across from the Summit train station, to Kandarian's home and back. A similar protest was held May 10.
The group is protesting the company's support of the New York Blood Center (NYBC), and that establishment's abandonment of more than five dozen chimpanzees -- previously used for research -- on islands in Liberia.
MetLife is the largest corporate donor of NYBC, which, according to a New York Times article published in May of 2015, left the 66 chimpanzees on Liberian islands with little to no food or water, potentially leaving them to starve to death.
NYBC, on its website, has stated its position on the situation saying, in part, "NYBC attempted for years to find a solution for the care, maintenance and feeding of these animals. We held discussions with numerous animal welfare groups and the Government of Liberia, all to no avail. The Government of Liberia and animal rights organizations knew all along that our support was voluntary and would not continue. Last January, we gave the Liberians several months' notice that we would no longer provide this voluntary charitable support and expected they would manage a smooth transition."
While other NYBC supporters, such as Citigroup, have addressed the the advocates' concerns -- Citigroup made a $50,000 donation toward the care of the chimps -- MetLife has not yet responded to the group's call for action.
An earlier protest in at Met Life's New York City headquarters resulted in no action by the company, said TheirTurn member Donny Moss.
