Sanctuary supporter Tamela just sent me an email with the photos below – Jamie the day she arrived at the sanctuary, and the photo of Jamie that Jackie took yesterday.
These photos side by side brought tears to my eyes – tears of joy for the last two years that we’ve known Jamie at the sanctuary and tears of sadness for the first 30 years of Jamie’s life spent living with an animal trainer then in biomedical research.
I have a feeling that we will all be experiencing this mixed joy and sadness this whole week leading up to June 13, 2010 – the 2nd anniversary of the chimpanzees’ arrival.
Thank you all for helping to make Jamie’s second chance at life possible.
she of course looks like a completely different chimp. the 30 years are of no importance to jamie, only all the wonderful years ahead. you will never see the before jamie again and the ‘real’ jamie emerged the day she arrived at her new home, CSNW. now we must think of the ones who are still in ‘their 30 years’. my profound gratitude to all of you who give every day to the wonderful chimp-buddies
What an amazing transformation. The perfectly plucked ‘tear drop’ on her belly when she arrived was what has stuck with me and how amazing she looks now (with full belly of hair). Jamie is an amazing chimp as they all are.
What a phenomenal difference.
Aside from the obvious differences in Jamie’s health, the photo from yesterday reflects so much more *dignity* in her eyes!!
Yes, tears of joy, tears of sorrow. And so much gratitude for all of you (and all of us) who provide Jamie (and the other chimps that comprise the CE7) with an opportunity to feel basic dignity.
Tears of joy……………………..the very best kind!! We can never thank all of you enough, for putting that hair back on Jamie’s belly, or the twinkle back in her eyes. (Of course the same applies to all of our other chimps too!!
Bless you for taking away her stress, and letting her experience compassion, friendship, joy. I see so much intensity and strife in her early photo, and so much contentment, grace, intelligence and groundedness in her photo now. It is shocking to see how big of a toll the the years of captivity took, but I feel relief in seeing how resilient and blessed she is. I want CSNW to grow and be able to save more!!
The difference is nothing short of amazing! Thank you all for giving her a safe home, love, good nutrition, and wonderful things to do. You should all feel very proud for the changes in the chimps since they arrived. Keith, you did a selfless and wonderful thing for these chimps by giving them a home and the best of staff to care for them. You are all heroes!
It is so wonderful to be a small part of supporting Jamie as she made these changes. It is so wonderful that the Cle Elum Seven can live happy lives now and they know it!
Anna, I agree with you about her eyes, less anger and pain, more softness. I don’t know about anyone else but her stare in the ‘before’ picture is intimidating. Maybe if you’ve lived the life she has you had to have an intimidating stare. I’ve never been involved, from the ground up, in a sanctuary and for the last two years I’ve learned a lot about chimpanzees, sanctuaries, caregivers and supporters. I’ve had a grand time and look forward to the future.
“Maybe if you’ve lived the life she has you had to have an intimidating stare.” That was extremely well-put and poignant, Candy. Definitely food for thought…
These photos are worth far more than a thousand words.