TV Chimp attacks & gravely injures woman.

[shelbar53]

I feel terrible for poor Charla N and her family. This chimp was basically eating her alive. She lost her eyes, her nose, and her jaw... So she will never see, smell or eat anything again. That is terrible.

It bothers me that the owner did not have something to subdue the chimp with if it did get out of control. Obviously it is a wild animal, you would of thought that she would of had something that would of put the animal out if this came up.
My heart goes out to this poor lady who is suffering.

In addition she lost both hands. they transferred her the Cleveland clinic today. they did a face transplant a few months ago. this woman lost her face...so tragic. She just got a new hairdo...and now she has no face or hands. wild animals belong in the wild, they should not be pets.

 

[Gypsy Road]

Oh Cheko1, I am so, so, sorry for your loss. Your story broke my heart, and I can't imagine the position you were in or the decision you and your family had to face. What a sad tragedy. You are a voice, however, no primate should ever be kept as a pet. While they are sweet and loving while they're young, they rebel as they age - which I can understand completely. They are so very close to humans - and want to make choices of their own, or are told "no", or otherwise "controlled", they act out. It also must be so hard for them not to be able to understand their surroundings when things are "off" to them - thus the reason they act out I'm sure.
Thank you for sharing your story, and again...I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[shelbar53]

My granddaughter & I was surfing the net & came across baby monkeys. The people selling them had them dressed cuter than cute....little girls all in ruffles & lace & the little fellas in cute little onsies. Some had cowboy hats on . I started reading up on them, always hearing they were a danger to humans. Sure weren't cheap the males were $3200. & the females 4 grand. I contacted probably 50 people who owned them, nobody ever had any problems with them if you got them a few days old. I was told the Moms would reject them & they were left to die. I talked mostly to people in Indiana they can breed & raise them there. The lady I talked to had ( so she said) 11 living in the house. Each family member had there own monkeys. They even slept with them.

She said she had 1 pregnant, but rarely did a mom reject her baby but if she did she'd let me know. Well like a moron out of the blue I got a phone call & if interested she'd meet me in Chicago to look at it. If I wanted him it was $3200. cash. Like a fool I met her bought him & we named him Cheko... he was adorable. Fit in the palm of my hand & cute as can be. He was a java had a little mohawk & the apple of our eye.

He required alot of care...nothing cheap about raising an exotic animal. He would jump on your lap / he loved ice cream, snickers candy bars & blondes. He wore diapers, took a bottle with a baby formula base. He was awesome. If he seen a animal he'd scream bloody murder to warn you something shouldn't be there, was. Hubby is in the fencing business so a cage was so problem. He had his own TV, any toy imaginable. Everyone loved Cheko. I took him to the vet had his incisor teeth pulled / blood tests to make sure he was not a carrier of any disease every 6 months $800.00 each visit.

We noticed Cheko getting possesive when he was about 3-4 yrs old, if someone went to hand us something or hug us good bye. He'd make a strange noise, & slap at them. That passed... we would take him to the lake & he'd just play up a storm. But we had him on a leash.

I was the one who taught Cheko right from wrong. Since he was a male I had to stand up to him. A male monkey dominates the low life females. I took him to the lake without hubby he didn't want to go with me & was MAD. He banged on his cage all the way there. I got him out of his cage & he was po'd. He pranced back & forth & would not come near me. When at the lake he could climb trees & sit in them. But he had a chain so he could not get loose.It was getting dark & I went to bring him in & he bit me. To show his dislike he'd show his teeth & chatter at you. I scolded him severely for it. He hung his head & offered me some of his dilly bar... he had one every night before bed time.

He would be terrified if one of the teen girls was in a swimsuit or in shorts, he'd close to loose his mind. He'd try grabbing them, to show he never liked it. But later when they had pj's on he'd love them up & be so sorry for what he did it was pathetic. He'd hang his little head in shame. The kids were his best friends. He'd hug them, kiss them & pat them on the back.

Hubby was Cheko's very favorite ....he knew I slept with hubby & he started resenting me. I cleaned his cage several times a day.He had a bathe everynight & loved aftershave lotion & would make sure you smelled him. He'd stand like a statue until you told him how good he smelled. He was a hoot....

If he decided he wanted something it was his. If not the war started. He got into my makeup & I went to get it from him & the war was on. I called hubby in & Cheko went right to him handed me the makeup & as I took it he growled at me. A wild animal never forgets when someone wrongs them. Cheko started holding grudges against me. As time went on it wasn't just against me but anyone who told him no.

Cheko was almost 6 yrs old & getting to be in his sexual prime. That is when most wild animals start changing. Hubby had Cheko out in his garage with him, Cheko got into his pop cooler & opened a case of pop. He called him a bad boy & told him no. Cheko had already drank 4 cans of pepsi & decided nobody was telling him anything. Hubby came in the house bit all up. He whopped Cheko good. We decided then & there that was enough. We had to get rid of him.

I contacted everywhere in the USA that has sanctuaries for monkeys, nobody would take him. We offered to pay 10 grand & then support him / we offered to leave him in our will everything to no avail. Nobody wanted a spoiled monkey...we went to one place & the conditions were filthy. Hubbie & Cheko were getting along good again & hubbie was changing his mind. We dearly loved him but Cheko refused to have anything to do with me. Hubby was cleaning his work truck out & was finished working for the day & said come on Cheko lets go have supper & Cheko ignored him, he apparently wanted to go for a car ride. Hubby said come on buddy lets go in the house & get your treats....Cheko jumped at him & bit the holy heck out of him, scratched him...hubby came in covered in blood & said call the vet he is being put to sleep.

I made arrangements & we did take him to the vet 2 days later & he was put to sleep. I held him down to get the needle in the heart. To this day we're heartsick over it but had no other choice. He WOULD of hurt someone else, it was only a matter of time.

I don't call myself a bad person for owning Cheko. Cheko never once got away from us. He'd be down by the lake & would wave at boaters going by, he went fishing with us & was scared to death of fish worms. If he stole something he'd put it is his pouch & torment you. I thought I'd honestly checked it out very well.

I knew I was no match for him & never ever wanted him to hurt anyone. When he was good he was awesome / but when he was bad he was horrible. It should be against the law for anyone to own a primate of any kind they are very strong. Your so shocked by the attack you can hardly get away. Cheko has been gone for 5 yrs now. We had 6 wonderful yrs with him & no monkey could of had the life Cheko had. I have no regrets...

They are afraid of any changes of any type. I could see Travis freaking over the lady having a new haircut / driving a different car & also & mostly from having her hair colored. Them things drive a primate insane.The lady from Indiana lied to me...she ripped him away from his mom. No monkey refuses there babies. Its a vicious cycle....primates should not be bred for babies at all in captivity. The lady I got mine from sells hers to labs......God bless all primates in captivity / it should never EVER be allowed.

Thank you for sharing your story.

 

[jaimie43]

Cheko1..Your story is heart-breaking and I too am sorry for your loss and what you had to do. I cant imagine the pain...Im glad you have beautiful memorys of Cheko.

A few years ago hubby and I researched the internet because we thought we wanted to buy a capuchin. I did read storys of them turning on their owners but that is not what stopped me from puchasing. It was the knowledge that these babies are ripped from the mommas shortly after birth. The moms cry pitifully for their babies..I wanted no part of that. If humans are so close in DNA to monkeys why is it so difficult for breeders to acknowledge that they feel the pain and heartbreak of losing their babies just like we do???

 

[concernedperson]

In addition she lost both hands. they transferred her the Cleveland clinic today. they did a face transplant a few months ago. this woman lost her face...so tragic. She just got a new hairdo...and now she has no face or hands. wild animals belong in the wild, they should not be pets.

That is what has to be remembered. We can't control instincts that are not controllable when animals are involved. How many pit bull attacks or chimp attacks will make us learn? Stay human with resolve to help animals but not incorporate wild animals in our environment.

 

[laini]

cheko1 - Thank you for sharing your story!!! Very touching and informative!
My husband told me the guys at his work were talking about a new pet that you can buy that is like a mini monkey that sits in your pocket!!? Have your heard of this? We thougth it sounded neat, but too good to be true.

Chimpanzees, Gorillas, etc... are such fascinating and wonderful animals. I don't know much about Chimpanzees, but have a love obsession with Gorillas. It is sad to see them in a zoo, but I spend several hours observing them when we go. I can't help it.

 

[lizzybeth]

checko1, I understand how difficult it was to tell that story. Checko was a part of your family. It was probably difficult too because most of us have talked about how unwise it is to own an animal such as a monkey.

They're beautiful animals and so intelligent. I can understand why people would want to have one as a pet but unfortunately there are some animals that aren't meant to be pets.

 

[White Rain]

STAMFORD, Connecticut — Travis the chimpanzee's relationship with his owner was closer than those of some married couples.
Sandra Herold gave him the finest food, and wine in long-stemmed glasses. They took baths together and cuddled in the bed they shared. Travis brushed the lonely widow's hair each night and pined for her when she was away.
If she left the house alone, Travis would give her a kiss.
"If I left with someone Travis would get upset," Herold said Wednesday.
Experts say the unusually human relationship would have been confusing for any animal. It may have also played a role in Travis' savage attack Monday on Herold's friend, 55-year-old Charla Nash of Stamford.
more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,497064,00.html

 

[Wrinkles]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it in this thread...but here was another attacked victim...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2008/07/04/2008034157.jpg

You can Google "St.James Davis"

Also:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2008/07/04/2008034157.jpg

The article notes the damage that two chimps did to this man when they attacked him.

Cheko, as painful as it was to put your chimp to sleep, your doing so might have saved the life of someone who might have been attacked by him. I can only imagine how painful that was for you, but what a right decision.

Wrinkles

 

[cheko1]

Oh Cheko1, I am so, so, sorry for your loss. Your story broke my heart, and I can't imagine the position you were in or the decision you and your family had to face. What a sad tragedy. You are a voice, however, no primate should ever be kept as a pet. While they are sweet and loving while they're young, they rebel as they age - which I can understand completely. They are so very close to humans - and want to make choices of their own, or are told "no", or otherwise "controlled", they act out. It also must be so hard for them not to be able to understand their surroundings when things are "off" to them - thus the reason they act out I'm sure.
Thank you for sharing your story, and again...I am so sorry for your loss.

We're avid 4 wheelers & Cheko used to sit on hubbies shoulder & put his arms around his head & go for rides with us. He loved it / if it happened to get cold then he'd want me & climb inside my coat & sit with his head sticking out so he could see where he was going. He was a comedian. We would take the 4 wheelers & would ride in the parades for different towns. ride in parades we'd of just died if he'd of hurt anyone.

We made the correct decision. I feel he lived a much better life with us then he would of in a lab. Lab monkeys come out blind & have many different diseases / I've seen some & wow it is pathetic what they do to them. Time heals everything & we miss him dearly. The lady at Dairy Queen took it as hard as we did. When they closed for the winter I'd buy 250 dilly bars! LOL To last him til they reopened....he was a spoiled little brat.

 

[cheko1]

Thank you for sharing your story.

Your welcome!!!!!

 

[cheko1]

Cheko1..Your story is heart-breaking and I too am sorry for your loss and what you had to do. I cant imagine the pain...Im glad you have beautiful memorys of Cheko.

A few years ago hubby and I researched the internet because we thought we wanted to buy a capuchin. I did read storys of them turning on their owners but that is not what stopped me from puchasing. It was the knowledge that these babies are ripped from the mommas shortly after birth. The moms cry pitifully for their babies..I wanted no part of that. If humans are so close in DNA to monkeys why is it so difficult for breeders to acknowledge that they feel the pain and heartbreak of losing their babies just like we do???

Capuchins are supposed to be meaner than the javas...also they are very destructive. If Cheko had been a Capuchin I could of found a sanctuary for him. The breeders don't care about the monkeys in anyway, shape or form... they want the money.

Just be thankful you never got one jaimie. The work involved in caring for them is something nobody is prepared for. Its not easy to find a monkey sitter. I can say I honestly felt the woman who sold him to me was telling the truth that the mom rejected him. She had documentation from a vet stating the moms milk was totally dried up / like a fool I fell for it / or maybe it was the fact he was totally irresistable.

 

[cheko1]

cheko1 - Thank you for sharing your story!!! Very touching and informative!
My husband told me the guys at his work were talking about a new pet that you can buy that is like a mini monkey that sits in your pocket!!? Have your heard of this? We thougth it sounded neat, but too good to be true.

Chimpanzees, Gorillas, etc... are such fascinating and wonderful animals. I don't know much about Chimpanzees, but have a love obsession with Gorillas. It is sad to see them in a zoo, but I spend several hours observing them when we go. I can't help it.

hmmm is it a sugar glider?
If not I'm not certain what it is.

I am a animal lover. Yrs ago we had a baby deer thats mom deserted it. Probably got killed... it wandered into our yard & could hardly walk / we ignored it until it tried jumping thru our window. I fed it milk with a baby bottle / 2 wks later we took him to a zoo.

I have several deer feeers & feed them. At the lake we have 2 eagles that return every year. I buy fish & shrimp put a couple on the dock & they come eat. They make nests in our trees. Canadian geese & ducks are everywhere.

We have black bears that attack & steal my hummingbird feeders. I don't like bears at all. But love to watch them. The woody woodpecker birds with the red combs come back every year too.

I love going to the zoos too. The gorillas are very strong, much worse then the chimps.....

 

[PattyCake]

First, terribly saddened about your loss cheko1.

I too am an animal lover, immensly. It is because of my love for all animals my opinion is strong and it stands. Wild animals, any wild animals born in captivity or not, do not belong integrated with humans. Even if 80+% of the population may never harm a hair on any head, it's not their habitat, it's not their domain, it's not their life.

I'm not sure about your last comment above regarding the gorillas? Chimps have already proven the capability of killing or forever gravely harming a human. My best to you. :blowkiss:

PS: zoos usually make me sad. I'm not sure it's okay for us humans to place these animals under such circumstances for our entertainment. I'm so torn about that.

 

[PattyCake]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it in this thread...but here was another attacked victim...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2008/07/04/2008034157.jpg

You can Google "St.James Davis"

Also:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2008/07/04/2008034157.jpg

The article notes the damage that two chimps did to this man when they attacked him.

Cheko, as painful as it was to put your chimp to sleep, your doing so might have saved the life of someone who might have been attacked by him. I can only imagine how painful that was for you, but what a right decision.

Wrinkles

I also placed a link earlier about another victim of Travis from 1996. That means her owner did not take heed and could care less about the safety of others. She placed her needs & wants 1st.

 

[cheko1]

checko1, I understand how difficult it was to tell that story. Checko was a part of your family. It was probably difficult too because most of us have talked about how unwise it is to own an animal such as a monkey.

They're beautiful animals and so intelligent. I can understand why people would want to have one as a pet but unfortunately there are some animals that aren't meant to be pets.

It is easier now for me. I live way out in the country. My neighbors are like 3 acres away from me on each side & 20 acres away from the back. Cheko also had a HUGE cage like a zoo outside. He was only in it a few times. I never cared what people thought. We devoted our life to him....Cheko was not big by any means possibly 20 pounds, but strong as an ox. He climbed trees / he dug for food / got to go swimming. We would never give Cheko anything to calm him down.

Hubby & I both wonder how Sandra could of handled Travis. He was to much for her & would of been horrid strong.

Nobdy should own primates / It should be against the law!
NOBODY should be allowed to breed them / NOBODY!!!

Yes they are apart of your family

 

[cheko1]

STAMFORD, Connecticut — Travis the chimpanzee's relationship with his owner was closer than those of some married couples.
Sandra Herold gave him the finest food, and wine in long-stemmed glasses. They took baths together and cuddled in the bed they shared. Travis brushed the lonely widow's hair each night and pined for her when she was away.
If she left the house alone, Travis would give her a kiss.
"If I left with someone Travis would get upset," Herold said Wednesday.
Experts say the unusually human relationship would have been confusing for any animal. It may have also played a role in Travis' savage attack Monday on Herold's friend, 55-year-old Charla Nash of Stamford.
more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,497064,00.html

I am not certain I believe the lady who claims to have been bitten by Travis yrs earlier. But this is JMHO...

1.If a primate bites someone they are automatically destroyed & killed by the state.
2.Primates do not get rabies / nor are they given rabie shots.
3. Her own Dr would / should of called the state agencies before giving her the shots for rabies.
4. Primates are given blood tests to see if they carry any diseases & if they come back positive/ mandated to be put to sleep ASAP
5. If she called LE to report a primate bite I highly doubt they'd look the other way. But thats JMHO

 

[Gypsy Road]

We're avid 4 wheelers & Cheko used to sit on hubbies shoulder & put his arms around his head & go for rides with us. He loved it / if it happened to get cold then he'd want me & climb inside my coat & sit with his head sticking out so he could see where he was going. He was a comedian. We would take the 4 wheelers & would ride in the parades for different towns. ride in parades we'd of just died if he'd of hurt anyone.

We made the correct decision. I feel he lived a much better life with us then he would of in a lab. Lab monkeys come out blind & have many different diseases / I've seen some & wow it is pathetic what they do to them. Time heals everything & we miss him dearly. The lady at Dairy Queen took it as hard as we did. When they closed for the winter I'd buy 250 dilly bars! LOL To last him til they reopened....he was a spoiled little brat.

Well, I know you will always keep his memories close to your heart and cherish them forever. He will always be in your heart - always. When we take in animals, they become part of us - they become our family, our little fur children. We look at them as little innocent creatures who need us. It's natural to want to shower them with all our love and affection, and at times, spoil them. I know it's hard for us humans to understand that while animals have the capability to feel and to love us back, it's not the same type of love. There's also going to be a bit of wild in them - all of them. You and your family are one heck of a strong family to make the choice you had to make. I know it was painful as heck, but I admire you. Not many could put their own feelings aside and do what had to be done. You did this for your family's safety, and for others. You did everything you could - even tried to place him somewhere before making the dreaded decision. I still can't imagine how sad you must have felt, and my heart just breaks for you. I look at my sweet kitten and think of your situation and it just tears me up. If I were in your shoes...could I have gone through with putting my beloved pet down - even knowing it had to be done? Would I have tried to sweep the problem under the carpet until something really bad happened? I don't know. I commend you however. You did the right thing in order to save your family from possible tragedy. When you get sad about this, I hope you pull out those wonderful memories and silly moments you had with Cheko and remember the good times. :blowkiss:

 

[PattyCake]

Well back onto the topic of the thread.

Recap: A chimp violently horribly injure and woman and she may never recover. Ignoring it by side tracking the subject in my opinion is a terrible disservice to the woman laying almost deceased in the hospital. She has no eyes, no nose, mostly no jaw, no hands. This is the reality and this is the topic of the thread.

The owner has since changed her story, denies drugging the animal but that will be easily proven with tests. I believe fully that she is attempting to avoid jail time. I believe fully in the other woman's story in 1996. That is not something people make up for no reason. Clearly this Chimp was dangerous and if he attacked in 1996 then her owner was severly ignorant.

As this story drags on, I think there should be criminal charges against this woman to make an example of what needs to stop in this society. No more wild animals in any household ever. That is what sanctuaries & rescue organizations are for!

Its very upsetting that this poor woman Charla, a woman in her 50's, her life is OVER. If this Charla has grandchildren, she will never 'touch', see or probably kiss them again. YES I'm angry. This did not have to happen at all.

 

[Gypsy Road]

Well back onto the topic of the thread.

Recap: A chimp violently horribly injure and woman and she may never recover. Ignoring it by side tracking the subject in my opinion is a terrible disservice to the woman laying almost deceased in the hospital. She has no eyes, no nose, mostly no jaw, no hands. This is the reality and this is the topic of the thread.

The owner has since changed her story, denies drugging the animal but that will be easily proven with tests. I believe fully that she is attempting to avoid jail time. I believe fully in the other woman's story in 1996. That is not something people make up for no reason. Clearly this Chimp was dangerous and if he attacked in 1996 then her owner was severly ignorant.

As this story drags on, I think there should be criminal charges against this woman to make an example of what needs to stop in this society. No more wild animals in any household ever. That is what sanctuaries & rescue organizations are for!

Its very upsetting that this poor woman Charla, a woman in her 50's, her life is OVER. If this Charla has grandchildren, she will never 'touch', see or probably kiss them again. YES I'm angry. This did not have to happen at all.

I wasn't ignoring the subject. I was offering my condolences to someone who did the right thing unlike the woman from CT.

No, this didn't have to happen. The state is also responsible for allowing the woman to have the chimp in the first place.
Did you hear the woman say that Travis often stole the keys and took her car for a drive on several occassions yet did nothing about it? Not only do I think she should be held responsible, but I also believe the state is responsible if it continued to allow this type of behavior to occur.