** OGTV celebrates National Monkey Day with this story from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia where a sanctuary for chimps who were former research animals has been created so they can finally be free to roam and enjoy nature again. **

Some scientists spend their lifetimes in medical research in order to cure the world's most dangerous diseases. While we regularly celebrate their tireless work that saves thousands of lives around the world, we often forget about the animal subjects essential to this research, many of whom were bred for this role and spent their entire lifetime in lab cages. In 2014, an organization was founded by animal welfare advocates to address at least one aspect of this issue. Project Chimps was born with the mission to end the use of chimpanzees in medical research and to provide lifelong care to former research animals at its 236-acre forested sanctuary in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia.