Today, volunteer Stephanie P. brought a pair of amazing cowboy boots for Jamie. The pair she got on her birthday had worn out, so her eyes lit up like it was Christmas when she saw them and she’s been carrying them around with her all day. She loves her boots! Thanks Steph!!
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Oh, my gosh!!! Those boots were made for walking, she was so happy with those boots, way to go Stephanie. Her face really did light up, Jamie’s something else.
Jamie you look Marvelous darling in your new boots.
Oh I loved this video!! Jamie you rock!! Thanks for making my day.
Thanks, Jackie
Hmmm, I’m not too sure how to feel about Jamie getting a present that is intended for humans. Don’t get me wrong, everyone that works with the chimps at the sanctuary has a golden heart and I admire and respect your dedication. You are all giving them a much better life than the abusive one they had to endure in the past. I’m just not too sure about this particular present. She is nonetheless incredibly clever, did you demonstrate how to put the boot on or did she pick on this by a previous casual observation from any of the caretakers?
How excited she was! The best kind of enrichment for Jamie is something she can wear. Too bad they don’t make boots to fit chimp feet…LOL.
Hilda you are right about it being a “unnatural” present. With that said nothing about their lives has been “natural” from being captured in the wild (probably ripped off her dead mother who defended her to the death) to being born in captivity, from being taken from their mothers only hours old to being cross fostered by humans, to being used in experiments and living in a cage smaller than your bathroom.
Jamie is enthralled with shoes of all kinds and when volunteers or staff have new shoes on we are requested (by Jamie) to show her our shoes. She loves shoes of all kinda and if a pair of boots makes her happy then she deserves all the boots we can give her at this stage of her life.
According to Jamie’s records she lived in a human home before going in bio-medical research so I assume she learner how to wear shoes as well as other human clothing during that time.
Thanks for your comment, Hilda. We really appreciate open dialog, and you raise a question that others have asked. As Denice (CSNW volunteer) mentioned, very little of the lives of the Cle Elum Seven chimpanzees have been “natural.” No captive environment can mimic what chimpanzees would experience if they lived free in their native equatorial Africa. Rather than focusing on creating a superficially naturally-looking environment, we at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest find out what the individual chimpanzees enjoy so that their days can be full of enriching, mentally stimulating experiences. For more on the question of showing the chimpanzees with clothing, please see this previous blog post: https://chimpsnw.org/2008/11/chimpanzees-wearing-clothes/
jamie walks as well in her high heeled boots as i do … but the look lots spiffier on her.
Boy, she is determined to make those boots work! Thank you Stephanie for providing a little something that brought a lot of happiness to Jamie.
We are thinking (trying at least) of how to get some footwear for Jamie that she could get on her feet if she wanted to. Let you know if we come up with anything! The main thing about Jamie and clothing/shoes is that it comes entirely from her. No one at CSNW requires her to do anything she does want to. So if she wants to play with shoes, so what. Same as Foxie with her trolls.
How wide would you say Jamie’s foot is? How about the length? I would love to find her a pair of soft house slippers that resemble boots that she could actually wear. I think she would love them. Would she let you measure her feet in inches? Maybe by putting them up against the bars in a game?
@Theresa
I know just the thing to fit your description. Don’t you think Jamie would love these?
http://www.cielgallery.net/category/CBR.html
I love seeing Jamie soooo happy!!!
Cardinal,
I love them! The only problem is I don’t think they would be wide enough. I am looking for a pair that is extra wide and comes in a big size. I am researching the net to find a pair that would likely fit her wide feet. Oh, how I wish those came wider. She would love a pair of those! Thanks for the link.
those pelvic/hip pockets sure are nifty and come in handy! (at 1:24)
oh dear miss Jamie: none of us can apologize to you enough for all the unfair, unnatural and unspeakable things that ignorant greedy humans did to you for 30+ years, before you safely made it to CSNW. (forever transforming & altering completely who you and your family were truly meant to be naturally.)
so glad for you that you are at CSNW now and that you find some happiness in all your enrichment items offered to you that keep your mind & days stimulated and busy!
I wonder if Jamie knew someone a long time ago who wore cowboy boots? Someone she remembers positively? Maybe when she was small enough to get her foot into an adult-human sized boot.