Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for March 2025

Rayne’s Exam

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Rayne took a trip into our veterinary clinic recently for a physical exam. Take a look at what goes into making such a trip possible.

Some of Rayne’s diagnostic results are pending review by specialists, but she appears to be in very good health!

If you’re new to this blog, here’s a primer on the ethical considerations that factor into decisions around physical exams.

And if you want to learn more about the kind of care we can provide without having to take them into the clinic, check out a few examples of our work with cooperative x-rays, EKGs, and ultrasound.

Happy Birthday, Kelley!

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Thank you so much to Erin Zamzow (yep, that’s our own Dr. Erin 🙂 ) and her hubs, Jeff Alm, for sponsoring this lovely day of sanctuary in celebration of their dear friend, Kelley Mills!

“We dedicate this day of sanctuary to Kelley Mills, a treasured friend and extraordinary neighbor. Our bond was forged nearly 3 decades ago, sparked by our mutual passion for horses. Kelley is that friend that celebrates every step of the journey, gives selflessly without expectation of return, and uncovers joy even in the darkest moments. Happy birthday dearest Kelley! Thank you for the unwavering love and friendship and the support of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. We love you! Erin and Jeff.”

Happy Birthday from all of us here, Kelley! We’re so glad to have you as part of the chimpanzee family!

Jamie:

Little Missy, Big Trees:

Cy:

Terry:

Dora and Honey B:

Spring Fashion with Honey B

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As everyone knows already, Honey B had another trip to the clinic recently for the lingering injury to her left hand. At the end of the visit Dr Jeffrey Friedrich was kind enough to leave a gift for Honey, a “surgeon bag”, check it out in today’s video!

The Birthday Magazine

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In today’s video, see Cy and Jamie enjoy Cy’s special edition, homemade magazine! We made this magazine for Cy as a present for his recent birthday and continued the festivities today by giving him (and Jamie) another copy. If you’ve been hoping to see this unique magazine, you are in luck today! Cy’s team of human caregivers sent in some pretty amazing pictures, and were graciously willing to share them with us all. Let’s dive right in!

This page requires some explanation. “The Beths” are a doll duo steeped in lore at the sanctuary. Mary Beth (in pink), was introduced to us when J.B. brought her for our white elephant gift exchange in 2022, and Kelsi was the “lucky” recipient. Kelsi somehow unknowingly picked Mary Beth in the gift exchange the next year as well, after having returned her to J.B. and Diana for safekeeping. Mary Beth is suspected to bring bad luck to whoever is housing her, as Kelsi’s car broke down when Mary Beth was riding with her, and Jenna hurt her back when Mary Beth was briefly with her. The doll in blue is Sarah Beth, who joined Mary Beth from an unknown source when she showed up in Kelsi’s clothing drawer at the sanctuary. Dusty got the duo at our latest white elephant exchange in January 2025, and has been updating us on all of their adventures together (Trader Joe’s trips, helping with cattle care, and even a trip to the Department of Corrections..?). Dusty is quite mischievous, so we don’t know where we might find “The Beths” next!

Cy’s 35th Birthday Celebration!

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Today we celebrated Cy’s 35th birthday!

Ellen, the ever so thoughtful and creative caregiver, created a one-of-a-kind birthday magazine just for Cy! As many of you know, Cy has an undeniable love for People magazines, so naturally, Ellen filled his personal edition with different articles of his favorite people, fashion, piping hot tea from around the sanctuary, and so much more. We’ll need an entire blog just to showcase this amazing creation—it was nothing short of extraordinary! Cy also had a bookcase full of People, In Touch, Stars, and other magazines that capture his love for all things pop culture. Of course we had a forage filled with Cy’s favorite foods, including a chow cookie he could not stop food squeaking for on the Bray!

From the very first moment I met Cy, he completely stole my heart. He is the kind of person who captivates everyone he meets. Cy is kind by nature, endlessly patient, playful, courageous, and a master at making friends with anyone he crosses paths with. He shows grace to the people around him, and he truly cherishes quality time with his loved ones. Cy is the kind of guy who makes everyone’s day brighter! It’s an honor and a privilege to call him a friend.

We also want to give a special thanks to Paulette Wrisley who sponsored today for Cy! We so appreciate her and her love and celebration of each of the chimpanzees.

I will leave you with a few of my favorite pictures of Cy, BUT be sure to look out for his birthday party video tomorrow!