Connecticut Chimp-attack victim speaks out

AGActaeonia · #1 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 05:10 PM

A Connecticut woman, viciously and irreparably mauled by a pet-chimpanzee last year has broken her silence to Oprah Winfrey.

Such a tragic, tragic story.

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HERPHAPPY · #2 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 06:14 PM

There are some things that should not be pets, IMO...I have to say that as much as I love animals, some things (like a chimp...) are WAY too strong for control by their human owner to be considered safe. There was no mention of the owner having any sort of permit for keeping such an animal??? A permit system helps to prevent such tragedies from occurring by forcing a would-be owner (lets face it...exotic pets can be very glamorous and enticing!) to prove their knowledge and abiltiy to properly care for the animal safely...and slows down the impulse-buy aspect of such a pet. I had to apply for & obtain such permits in California for keeping a few non-native venomous species, and I do not think it is a bad idea at all! It actually helps to protect the animal from owners who fail to plan for the reality of the wild animal they think they want. To be quite honest, the more I think about it, the more I think that the giant snakes belong in this catagory too...thanks for bringing up the subject, AGA! I think a permit to own (proving knowledge as well as financial responsibility and secure caging that is large enough for whatever animal) goes a long way to avoid an outright ban...

Stargazer · #3 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 06:19 PM

I did not realize chimps could be vicious like this. She would have fared better with a bite from a giant anaconda.

That is just so horrible. If it happened to me, I doubt I would want to survive it.

HERPHAPPY · #4 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stargazer

I did not realize chimps could be vicious like this. She would have fared better with a bite from a giant anaconda.
That is just so horrible. If it happened to me, I doubt I would want to survive it.

Unfortunately this was not an isolated incident at all...chimps and monkeys may look like little humans, but they are far stronger and have aggressive & impulsive tendencies that we cannot fully understand or predict...a similar incident happened a few years back in California...a real tragedy to well-meaning animal-loving people, with life-altering results! (BTW years ago I was a volunteer in the National Zoo, with monkeys...) It is so easy to forget what "wild animal" means....

HERPHAPPY · #5 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 06:47 PM

[QUOTE=Stargazer;743749]I did not realize chimps could be vicious like this. She would have fared better with a bite from a giant anaconda.
Maybe not...anacondas do more than just bite, lol... a giant snake is to me like having a lion instead of a housecat for a pet! There are some (read: VERY FEW) people who manage with safety & proper knowledge & habitat, but to the detriment of the animal being kept, far more who do not.... I think you cannot blame the "public" for their fear & concern....

Future Snake Guy · #6 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 07:13 PM

star you cant blame the chimp for this, it was the way it was raised. iv actually followed this story for awhile and they treated this animal like a baby that had the strength of 10 full grown men and one day just snapped

HERPHAPPY · #7 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 07:23 PM

If you wonder how easy it is to get complacent about your pets' capabilities, you have only to think of poor Sakara, whose cat went after her geckoes...and technically her cat is a domestic animal, too....not a wild one like a snake or a chimp! Such accidents may be statistically rare, but no less tragic when they occur....and for the most part are completely preventable. It is human nature (?) to become complacent...after a while we stop seeing the "COMPLACENCY KILLS" sign on the hot-room door...????

Stargazer · #8 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future Snake Guy

star you cant blame the chimp for this, it was the way it was raised. iv actually followed this story for awhile and they treated this animal like a baby that had the strength of 10 full grown men and one day just snapped

I would never blame an animal for being an animal. I just think, as Herphappy says, that people should not randomly own wild animals and complacently allow other people around them. Even domesticated animals can behave like that once in a while, even after thousands of years of domestication.

With wild animals it seems that past behaviors are not a good predictor of future behaviors. An animal can be docile for 10 years, then suddenly snap. Come to think of it, this happens to humans too, only when they snap, they just use more civilized means (guns).

AGActaeonia · #9 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 08:46 PM

There was a thread here, I believe... Some time ago. Referred to an escaped alligator in Connecticut and legislation in the works that would bar the ownership of certain animals. There was mention of this same chimpanzee in the article, I believe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HERPHAPPY

There was no mention of the owner having any sort of permit for keeping such an animal???

I noticed the same (no mention of such a thing). I presume, however, that the 150 million dollar lawsuit the victim's family is laying against the state will include this fact, however.

The owner, in the end, saying that she'd "do it all over again." That's the most tragic thing of all. Allowing the animal to "drive the car. He took off with it a few times."

Not a fact I'd draw attention to were I her, broadcasting live.

It's not just the drunken drivers Connecticut citizens need worry about, but also the occasional homicidal chimpanzee.

Wow.

RayRay · #10 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 08:51 PM

Working in the laboratory field, primates are one type that I would never want to work with. Not only do they possess incredible strength for their size, they also are carriers of hepatitis and other blood borne illnesses. They account for less than 1% of all laboratory animal species used in research due to those factors, and the fact that they require very expensive housing, diet, and enrichment needs. They are not pets, by any means.

AGActaeonia · #11 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 01:41 AM

IMO, pets are pets. There will always be some obscure chimp or giraffe, whatever, wandering someone's property. They're a sight until someone gets hurt, and whether it's justified - their ownership - or not, the owner should be responsible (whether a permit is to be had or not) in full for any damage.

Money will not repair the damage done to this woman, money will not replace what's been lost, either physically or emotionally. That damage is irreparable. It all could have been avoided. If "avoidance" means not owning the ape in the first place, well, potato-pototto.

We are, all of us, responsible for those things which we're responsible for. It's always the furthest thing from the mind, everyone's always thinking "Oh, well, that won't happen to me." Well, it has to happen to someone, and it's a shame - a horrible, horrible shame - that such consequences are taken so lightly by some.

HERPHAPPY · #12 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 02:42 AM

The chimp owner's attitude ("I'd do it all again...") was shocking given what her "pet" took away from her visiting friend....it is one thing to put yourself in jeopardy with your chosen pet, quite another to expose an innocent party. Children cannot be expected to anticipate such dangers, but many adults are just as naive, assuming that an animal will behave the same with everyone...it just isn't so! As you said, AGA, the owner was completely at fault for what happened...and from her attitude it is clear to me that she viewed the chimp as a surrogate ("naughty") child....which is a really dangerous fallacy! (I recall meeting a woman in similar denial...as her dachshund was biting my ankle and pants, she had the audacity to insist that her dog didn't bite!?!) There is a bit of a lesson here for all of us snake-keepers too, when exposing friends/family to our trusty pets, and especially for anyone thinking of doing educational programs or posed pictures. Please, please don't make the news in a negative way! Even though this story concerns a chimp, in the public eye and from a legal standpoint it carries ramifications for us all down the road....

ekanS · #13 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 07:38 PM

I don't have time to elaborate other than to say I agree with most every opinion expressed thus far. I going to come back to this thread later. But first, one point:

A clearer distinction between "pet" and "captive" would benefit all involved (government, industry, hobby), especially the voiceless at the center of such tragedies.

Nyx · #14 (**permalink**) 12-05-2009, 07:57 PM

I am a monkey owner, and I do not believe any chimp should be taken in as a "pet". They are truly so much like us and have moods as well. The chimps however, have no politics and laws as a human would. A chimp can be so aggresive they cant be controled. They can peel human skin like a bannana. This lady walked up to help catch him after he escaped. That was a big no-no!!!!
I have a capuchin and I give everyday all day to him. All monkeys bite scratch and pinch. He is on his way to being a service monkey, but this is not easy to do. Not everyone can raise one well. However some do it with success. I would never allow a stranger to get at him, the rule is, he comes to you. Very easy to get bit by walking up on.
Shame on the owner, lack of respect and he became to passive about his "pet". Never should he have been able to get to the public, just cant ever tell when one will go off. because he will get upset or mad. You cant win a battle with a 175lbs primate that is 10 times stronger then we are!
just my opinion and yes I believe in ownership of some primates, however, I also believe common sense goes a long way.

Wickedreptile · #15 (**permalink**) 12-13-2009, 05:00 AM

I have worked with primates and love them But a large primate such as a chimp is very powerful and stronger then any human. They should not be pets. Someone said they did hear once that the owner had a permit. She ddin't she had the chimp for 14 years. When CT changed the laws for mammals she was grandfathered in. So the chimp was legal for her to own. Since the attack CT laws have been changed.

HERPHAPPY · #16 (**permalink**) 12-13-2009, 05:57 AM

Too bad it took such a tragedy to change the laws...but even so, all adults bear personal responsibility as well for the animals they choose to own (or to some extent, visit/be around...) and in this case, the chimp had even been allowed to drive a car more than once....I'd say the laws were overdue?

razeraze · #17 (**permalink**) 12-19-2009, 01:07 AM

I believe any animal can be a pet and those who prove responsible should not be hindered from their ownership. Doug Seuss and Chris Gallucci show how dangerous animals (ones that makes chimps seem like hamsters) can be properly housed and cared for. This lady treated a chimp like a harmless child and not like the dangerous pet it was, and that is where she made a horrible mistake.
YouTube - The Legacy of Bart the Bear
YouTube - chriselephant's Channel

If any of you get a chance watch animal planet's tusks and tattoos and growing up grizzly 1 & 2.

I also believe even with the best safety measures the loss of human life is always a possibility but the safety measures make the difference between responsible keeping and irresponsible keeping.

HERPHAPPY · #18 (**permalink**) 12-19-2009, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by razeraze

I believe any animal can be a pet and those who prove responsible should not be hindered from their ownership.....................I also believe even with the best safety measures the loss of human life is always a possibility but the safety measures make the difference between responsible keeping and irresponsible keeping.

..."those who prove responsible".... therein lies the rub! I don't disagree...I am one who tamed and rubbed noses affectionately with rattlesnakes for years....but I think my (or anyone's) 'right' to take risks with ourselves is one thing, quite another to expose others....the Connecticut chimp owner did not, as I understand it, have any sort of permit showing her knowledge or level of responsibility, or covering security issues...chimps are very hard to contain/control and society has rights too! (among those are the right to have no chimps driving around town, lol...)

Nyx · #19 (**permalink**) 12-29-2009, 08:10 PM

Thank you for pointing out the fact that is was not the animal it is the owner. I have spent years with primates and tell all who inquire about them that they should truly think it over first. It is so important to know all the bad things along with the good. Primates should never be a threat to others. They can be tame one minute and excited and rough the next. When asked about biting my responce will always be yes they do. Mine I can say has never bitten - but I do know he can!
Figment has made me happy and brings me joy everyday, he also brings moments of distruction and challenges as well. As with snakes, large cats, and all exotics, it takes knowledge, patience and at all times, respect of their nature.

Stargazer · #20 (**permalink**) 01-09-2010, 04:50 PM

Here's an interesting article for discussion. I thought this would be a good thread for it. Notice they didn't mention large constrictors, only venomous snakes.
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Primates and Big Cats and Snakes, Oh My...Animal Planet Explores Cautionary Tales of Love... - Forbes.com
Primates and Big Cats and Snakes, Oh My...Animal Planet Explores Cautionary Tales of Love...

SILVER SPRING, Md., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- "I don't regret any of it," says Julie Burros, former owner of a full-grown black leopard that nearly killed her. "The only thing I regret is that I lost my JoJo."

Julie has loved animals all her life, so when she came across a black leopard for sale in an exotic pet magazine, she jumped at the opportunity and brought home Jovani, who she affectionately called JoJo. One ordinary February afternoon, Julie suffered the shock of her life. In his backyard enclosure, Jovani unexpectedly jumped on Julie and nearly ripped off her ear. Jovani's wild instincts set in -- once he caught scent of the blood, he pinned down Julie and tore off a good portion of her scalp with his teeth. From then, a sequence of events put the cops in Julie's back yard and four bullets -- two in Jovani's belly, one in his hip and one to his head. Julie lived but Jovani didn't.

Exotic pet ownership is not as rare as one might think -- or as wildlife experts would wish. Millions of exotic animals are brought to the United States in any given year. A significant number of these pets have the potential to severely injure or kill their owners, neighbors or family. In FATAL ATTRACTIONS, ANIMAL PLANET'S three-part miniseries premiering Sunday, March 14, at 10 PM ET/PT, get inside the minds of people who own venomous reptiles, deadly big cats and chimpanzees as we try to understand what drives their obsessions and offer a cautionary tale. While their love, admiration and intrigue is genuine, these exotic pet owners often ignore the fact that their choice of a pet could cost them, innocent bystanders or their beloved pets their lives. Why is it that some people are comfortable with domestic pets like cats and dogs but others find companionship and love from animals that have the strong potential to kill them?

"Many of the characteristics of animal hoarding appear to be present in many of the cases of dangerous, exotic animal ownership," says Josephine Martell, program director of the Captive Wild Animal Protection Campaign. Martell's background is in animal welfare policy, and she has first hand knowledge of exotic pet ownership through investigative work and animal rescues. "In particular, many owners of dangerous animals, such as big cats, are in complete denial about the needs or safety concerns of large, free-ranging carnivores. Many of these owners, like animal hoarders, also profess to love their animals regardless of the conditions they may be keeping them in and seem to believe that the animals truly love them in return.

"It's common for exotic animal owners to believe they have a special kinship with their animals," says Martel, "often to a degree that becomes extreme when they compromise their own and others safety as well as the welfare of the animals."

Montana resident Jeanne Rizzotto, owner of two young adult male chimpanzees Connor and Kramer, is fully aware of the risk of parenting two primates; however, her love for these chimps seems to outweigh her concern for her own life. Having purchased these primates under what she describes as false pretenses -- the previous owner told her one would go to AIDS research and the other would be put down -- Jeanne vowed to give "her boys" the best life possible. And even though Jeanne personally knew the infamous Travis the Chimp, who brutally disfigured Charla Nash last February in Connecticut -- Travis is Kramer and Connor's half brother -- Jeanne remains faithful to her conviction that she's doing the right thing, "her thing." Both Jeanne's story and the tragic tale of Travis and Charla Nash are told in the third episode of FATAL ATTRACTIONS.

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