Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

rescue

Today is for Bruce!

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This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Charlie Neath in honor of Bruce Wagman! Bruce and his wife, Deb, have been compassionate and committed advocates for the chimpanzees and volunteer their time with the sanctuary in countless ways. Bruce serves as a member of our Board of Directors helping to ensure the chimpanzees’ are provided with the quality lives and security they deserve. He works tirelessly to improve the lives of so many of the special animals we share our lives with and we couldn’t be more honored to have he and Deb as part of our sanctuary family.

In knowing Bruce, Charlie’s message about sponsoring this day in his honor is simple yet apropos: “Bruce Wagman: ’nuff said.” And we would throw in lots of loud and raucous pant-hoots to go along with that!

Charlie, thanks so much for honoring Bruce today while making a difference in the lives of the chimps he does so much for.

And Bruce, we could never thank you enough for all you do to make this world a better place for the amazing animals (and humans!) who we share it with. Have the best of days!

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Happy Birthday, Jeane!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Jeane Williamson! Jeane is a good friend to the chimpanzees and she also works passionately to rescue hundreds of dogs, helping them to find their forever homes. Today also happens to be Jeane’s birthday and she has generously chosen to celebrate by giving the chimps’ a special day. Jeane shared this message about today:

“We are to be the stewards of the animals here on earth and we have failed miserably by using wild animals for research, entertainment, and a myriad of equally onerous objectives. My heart goes out to the elephants and tigers in the circus, the chimps and dogs and rabbits used for research and all the other animals that are used and abused by us humans. I am SO THANKFUL that you guys stepped up, saw this horrific situation and ACTED on it. What a huge undertaking of heart and faith on your part. It does my heart good to see them free, running and playing, enjoying life for the first time. I thank you for stepping up to help them and I pray that others will be as fortunate who are caught in the same horrific situation, or one similar. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. This donation is a birthday gift to myself. Thank you for making it possible!”

Jeane, thank you so much for choosing to celebrate your own special day by making a difference for the chimpanzees! And thank you so much for all that you do for the animals we share our lives with and for helping so many dogs find the homes and lives they deserve. Happy Birthday from all of us here at CSNW!

Burrito:

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Trust

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It takes a lot of trust for two chimpanzees to play together. Many play behaviors are variations on fighting behaviors – chasing, wrestling, stealing, slapping, hitting, etc. – and as play gets more aggressive, it’s easy to misunderstand your partner’s intentions. When the chimps first arrived at the sanctuary, Foxie and Annie would occasionally attempt to play, and it almost always ended up as a fight. They just didn’t have enough trust in one another.

Things sure have changed.

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I wouldn’t say that Foxie and Annie are best friends now, but they certainly have come to understand each other more and they even engage in rough and tumble play from time to time without it erupting into a conflict. This morning, Foxie even allowed Annie to playfully steal (and dismember!) one of her Dora dolls. That’s when you know you are a member of Foxie’s inner circle.

A moment to celebrate

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In ten days, all invasive research on chimpanzees in the United States will cease. Let that sink in for a minute.

Burrito hugging Foxie

In response to a petition by a coalition of animal welfare groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is elevating the status of all chimpanzees to endangered, thereby granting them a greater level of protection. Beginning on September 14th, any activity that causes harm to chimpanzees will require a permit, and permits will only be issued for research that benefits wild chimpanzees or conservation efforts. According to the Humane Society of the United States, the effective deadline for obtaining a permit was today, due to public notice requirements. And as of today, no permits have been issued.

It’s hard to overstate how important this is. For nearly a hundred years, chimpanzees have suffered and died in our pursuit of scientific and medical advancements. Later this month, all invasive research on chimpanzees will, at least for a moment, come to an end. Whether any permits will be requested in the future is uncertain, but this much is clear: the era of widespread chimpanzee research in the United States is over. And that’s worth celebrating.

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Now we need to get these chimpanzees into sanctuaries. We told you at the beginning of this year about our plans for the future of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, and we’re excited to report that, thanks to your generosity, we are ahead of schedule. We’re looking forward to sharing our vision for expanding the sanctuary as it develops and working with you to see it to fruition.

At CSNW, these seven chimpanzees have found a home where they are loved and respected and supported by people around the world. But inside every laboratory, there is a Missy longing to run free, an Annie aching for companionship, a Jody yearning for comfort, a Foxie wishing for someone to play with, a Burrito dreaming of a good meal, a Jamie desperate for a sense of control, and a Negra who wants nothing more than to bask in the sun. They all deserve a life in sanctuary. We, as a community, will make that happen.

Waiting for the rain

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After a hot, dry, and smoky summer, there’s a chance we will finally get some rain this week. Though we didn’t get any today, the clouds were a nice change of pace and the chimps took advantage of the cooler weather to spend more time outside climbing and foraging.

Annie:

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Jamie:

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Missy in the foreground, Foxie in the background:

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Burrito, Jamie, and Foxie:

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Burrito:

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Foxie keeping an eye on the cows:

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Jody harvesting bamboo:

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Jody with a wadge:

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Negra and Jody foraging during lunch:

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Jody:

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Foxie and Dora’s friend:

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If you haven’t done it yet, go check out our online auction, which began today at noon. Things are going fast, but there’s still plenty of bidding left!