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Love for Willy B

February 16, 2026 by J.B.

I have to confess, I chose Willy B as my subject for this “Love for…” series on a day that he was being particularly difficult to love. He had woken the other chimps up four times the previous night with his incessant banging and antagonizing, and thanks to the magic of closed circuit camera technology, I’d also had the pleasure of lying awake and listening to his late night performances. The lack of sleep initially made it hard for me to muster up much sympathy for the guy. But isn’t that the perfect time to remind myself—and you—what makes him so deserving of our love?

Willy B was born on November 30th, 1990, at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) in New York. According to his records, his father was Stu. His mother is known to us only by the number that would have been tattooed across her chest: 526. The “B” in Willy B’s name served as a reminder that although he was born at LEMSIP, one or both of his parents belonged to the Buckshire Corporation, making Willy B their property, too. Like his companions, Willy spent much of his childhood in a cage suspended off the floor.

When LEMSIP ended its chimpanzee program in 1996, Willy B was transferred with over 30 other chimpanzees to the Wildlife Waystation in California. He would remain there until 2019, when it too began to close down.

We selected Willy B and his companions, Honey B and Mave, to be the first of the Waystation chimpanzees to move to CSNW due to their small social group and relative isolation at the facility. Willy was our main road trip companion for the 1,000-mile journey, as his transport cage occupied the space just behind the driver’s seat. And I am still feeling the adrenaline from the time he went from sound asleep to trying to topple the van over with his intense cage-shaking on a busy section of I-5 in Central California, all in the blink of an eye.

Little did I know it then, but that incident would be a metaphor for life with Willy. I’ve written about his challenges before so I won’t belabor the point here, other than to say that he has thus far had a hard time remaining in good standing in social groups with anyone other than his two original companions, who have a tolerance for his shenanigans worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize. But knowing how he was raised, we shouldn’t wonder why he struggles with being social. The question is, why don’t they all?

And when you consider how far he has come, Willy’s story is less a tragedy and more a story of hope. Watching him overcome his fear of the outdoors was one of the most inspiring things I’ve been privileged to witness.

And despite the two-year integration of Willy’s group and Cy’s group ultimately ending in failure due to Willy’s chronic self-sabotaging behavior, he managed to make many new friends who often brought out the best in him. He will certainly have more opportunities for additional companionship in the future.

Even when he’s at his most chaotic, you can’t help but love Willy for his endearing quirks. Like the way he plays chase with his caregivers—no eye contact allowed! Or his childlike amusement with Slinkies and bouncy balls. Or his incessant requests to watch videos on our phones, specifically videos of the cute girls (like Jamie) next door. Or the way he is compelled to maximize the crunching sounds when he eats lettuce and celery by chomping down with his molars with his mouth wide open.

It’s true, Willy B can be a but much sometimes. There are times when he is even too much for himself, and he has to find a quiet, secluded place to reset.

I talk a lot about how much I admire Cy and Rayne, and they deserve every ounce of our admiration. But do all of our heroes have to be so noble? What about the guy that was born with the deck stacked against him and gets just a little bit better each day? What about the guy who has to struggle to be good? Isn’t that struggle itself something to be admired? True or not, this is what I will be telling myself when Willy B wakes us up again tonight.

Because I love Willy B, despite who he is and—even more so—because of who he is. We’re so grateful for his Pals who feel the same way, and we hope you will consider sponsoring him, too.

Be Mine, Cy

February 12, 2024 by J.B.

Cy is the leader of his family of nine chimpanzees. Contrary to popular myths about alpha male chimpanzees, he is kind, gentle, and caring. He is at times a reluctant leader—one whose dominant status has been bestowed upon him out of admiration and respect rather than being sought after and achieved for its own sake. But when called upon, he never fails to meet the needs and expectations of those who count on him.

Cy was born in 1990 at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery In Primates (LEMSIP). He was taken from his mother and raised by humans, splitting time between the nursery playroom and a small cage suspended off the floor. He would likely have been subject to HIV or hepatitis vaccine trials but LEMSIP closed their chimpanzee research program in 1996 before he could enter the the adult wing of the lab. Cy was then transferred to the Wildlife Waystation in California, where he would live for over two decades. In 2021, he came to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest along with his full sister, Lucky, and his half sister, Rayne, as well as Terry, Dora, and Gordo. A year later they were integrated with Willy B, Mave, and Honey B, who is also Cy’s half sister.

Cy at LEMSIP:

When he is isn’t called upon to lead his family, Cy can often be found sitting by himself in a corner, flipping through magazines. His favorite subjects are animals (but no cows, please!) and the latest celebrity photos from People and Us Weekly. He also loves spending time with his caregivers, playing quiet games of “tickle” or raucous games of chase. Among his favorite foods is corn on the cob—one of the few things for which he will exact a tax on his group mates (but even when he steals food, he does it in a kind and gentle manner!).

One of Cy’s most important roles is that of mentor and protector to his second in command, Willy B. His ability to accept Willy B’s anxieties and social challenges and approach them with patience and understanding is practically saint-like, and almost certainly a primary reason that Willy B has finally been able to live in the larger social group he deserves.

Cy’s new life at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest has been made possible, in part, by his Pals Monica, Daniel, Aprile & Robert, Emily, Thomas & Ranu, Katherine, Matthew, Penelope, Fritzie and Tami, who sponsor his care. You, too, can become Cy’s Pal or give the gift of sponsorship to someone you love.

After all, it’s hard not to fall in love with Cy.

in memory of Jody Chimpanzee on her birthday

May 14, 2023 by Diana

Tobin sponsored today in honor of Jody’s birthday celebration prior to us losing Jody just two weeks ago. Ever thoughtful, Tobin sent in a new message to share on this celebratory but also somber day,

Dear Friends of our beloved Jody:

As was the tradition at the CSNW, Jody’s birthday was celebrated every year on Mother’s Day. Those of us who loved her and rejoiced in her very being will continue to do so, in our hearts, minds, and souls. As we grieve, let us remember the look of joy on her beautifully expressive face, whether ascending the towers on Young’s Hill or in foraging the bounty of her land. Let us remember her maternal devotion to Negra, Annie, Missy, Foxie, Jamie, and Burrito. Taken from her mother in infancy, and deprived of nurturing the children she conceived, Jody became the den mother to her troop of orphans.

In my original statement for Jody’s birthday, I had written an open letter addressed to her. I told her that I hoped that the lilacs would be in bloom for her birthday, and I told her that I was so pleased when, somehow, she would appear in my dreams.

As I have read the many messages in the comments section of the Sanctuary website, I have been moved by the many words of condolence to Jody’s survivors and caregivers. One message especially holds meaning to me: “May her memory be blessed.”

Surely our memories of Jody are blessed, as we who love her were blessed by her presence in our lives.

And when I read of that Hebrew blessing, I thought of Jody and the words of a poem, also written in Hebrew:

For Thou, the Giver of Life,
created me in my inmost being;
Thou created me together
in my mother’s womb

Where can I go from Thy Spirit?

Our beloved Jody, your memory is blessed.

– Tobin Kerry –

HOOT! Sponsors: Merritt and John Atwood

May 10, 2017 by Diana

This is the seventh in our series of blog posts celebrating sponsors of the HOOT! 2017 Spring Fling gala.

Past posts celebrated Poppoff, Inc., Martha Faulkner Real Estate, Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, Jennifer and David Roers, Tracy Headley, and Pam Lehnert & Marc Warner.

Today is in honor of HOOT! sponsors Merritt and John Atwood.

Merritt shared how she learned about the sanctuary and why she supports the chimps.

“I first heard of CSNW in 2010 when I saw an article in the Seattle Times (I think). Always an animal lover, I wanted to help. What a great mission: to care for chimpanzees who had been caged up for years and used for biomedical research.”

And she has been a loyal donor ever since!

Merritt spends much of her time helping animals. She was a long time volunteer at the Humane Society in Bellevue, WA. Then, after moving to Whidbey Island, she became a supporter of Whidbey Animals’ Improvement Foundation (WAIF). She is now in the 9th year on their board and is as committed as ever to bettering the lives of animals.

Merritt hasn’t visited Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in person, but she follows along on social media, as I know most of you out there do too.

When presented with one of the most challenging questions there is: Who is your favorite chimpanzee?, her response was: “It’s really hard to say which chimpanzee is my favorite. Maybe Burrito for holding his own with all the ladies, and looking as though he is enjoying himself immensely!”

Based on the video posted yesterday of Burrito playing with Foxie, I would say the assessment of his enjoyment is pretty accurate.

In true animal-lover form, rather than sending me a photo of herself and John, Merritt shared photos of her beloved companion animals.

This is sweet Nelson, who came from WAIF and passed away last year:

And this is Henrietta, who the Atwoods brought to their home in 2009 from Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue. She is about 12 years old now:

I have absolutely loved doing these HOOT! sponsor posts. It’s uplifting to me to share information about caring people and to be able to thank them for their generosity in this way, and I’ve learned new things about each of them in the process.

Big thanks to Merritt and John for your support of the Cle Elum Seven chimpanzees and for all that you have done for animals in your local communities – you have made a tangible difference in so many ways.

The 2017 HOOT! Spring Fling is just a few days away! There’s still time to support the event with your donation, and there are just a few seats left if you’ve been procrastinating buying tickets. Anyone can also preview auction items and put in absentee bids on three items right here.

HOOT! Sponsors: Darwin’s Natural Pet Products

April 26, 2017 by Diana

I am so happy to be sharing information about HOOT! sponsors so everyone can learn the different ways that people have discovered the sanctuary and why they have decided to contribute their financial support to seven chimpanzees living in Cle Elum.

Today is the fourth in a series of blog posts celebrating sponsors of the HOOT! 2017 Spring Fling gala.

Past posts celebrated Jennifer and David Roers, Tracy Headley, and Pam Lehnert & Marc Warner.

Today, with so much gratitude, we celebrate the extreme generosity of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products.

The format for this post is a letter from Darwin’s founder Gary Tashjian:

At Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, we’ve built our business around supporting the connection between people and animals. We’ve always been inspired by the quote from Mohandas Gandhi that “the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

That’s why I was so excited to discover Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest’s booth at the University Street Fair in Seattle a few summers ago. Chimps (and all primates, for that matter) have a special relationship with humans, and the way we have allowed them to be treated is, I believe, inconsistent with our values. I was happy to find an organization here in the Northwest with people who not only felt the way that I did about this issue, but dedicated themselves to doing something about it. I knew that Darwin’s needed to support their efforts in some way.

After visiting the sanctuary and learning that the chimps’ diet consists primarily of fresh vegetables, I realized that Darwin’s had a unique opportunity to help support the sanctuary’s efforts, as we use fresh vegetables in our dog food recipes as well.

We reached out to Charlie’s Produce, who we work with to supply the vegetables that we use for our dog food, and asked them if they could help. Charlie’s was very supportive of our efforts, and together we put together a program that enabled us to provide an array of fresh vegetables to the chimps, at no cost to the Sanctuary.

We are very happy to be able to do our part to help these chimps enjoy a healthy diet, and to live out the rest of their lives in a safe and nurturing environment. Darwin’s is proud to be a supporter of the sanctuary’s efforts.

Gary Tashjian
Founder
Darwin’s Natural Pet Products

Big thanks to Gary and Darwin’s (and Charlie’s Produce) for the literal ton of produce for the chimps over the years and for being a Chimpanzee Champion Sponsor of HOOT! 2017!

Burrito sends his thanks too!

HOOT! Sponsors Jennifer & David Roers

April 19, 2017 by Diana

Today is the third in a series of blog post celebrating sponsors of the HOOT! 2017 Spring Fling gala.

Past posts celebrated Tracy Headley and Pam Lehnert & Marc Warner.

Today is all about Jen and Dave Roers!

You may recognize the names Jennifer and David Roers because they have made challenge donations to the gala for the past few years, which have helped inspire others to give. Their Chimpanzee Champion+ sponsorship donation this year is also a challenge to encourage others to donate towards the event. So please do learn more about individual and corporate sponsorship levels!

I sent a few questions to Jen and Dave about how they became involved in Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest and why they are supporters.

Here is Jen’s answer:

Dave and I first became aware of Chimpanzee Sanctuary NW when Dave saw a flyer at work. Once we learned about the chimpanzees, we were hooked! To see the Cle Elum Seven change and progress from their arrival to today is amazing. The chimps have so much resilience and can teach humans a little something about compassion and forgiveness. We’re also inspired by the passionate and enduring efforts of the humanimals at the sanctuary. CSNW draws the best of humanity whether it be staff, volunteers, or supporters. It’s an honor to be a small part of it.

I work for and Dave volunteers at Pasado’s Safe Haven, where we work to end animal cruelty. Pasado’s has a unique relationship with CSNW as a couple of the chimps’ caregivers work at Pasado’s! These folks are truly special. Dave and I recently went on the Ester the Wonder Pig Cruise and volunteered at a donkey sanctuary in Aruba (that’s where they were in the photo abovve). It was one of the highlights of the entire trip. It’s pretty obvious that caring for and protecting animals has become the focus of our lives. In addition, we are the proud humans of 3 beautiful cats.

Here are some fun photos of them at Pasado’s:

Big thanks to Jennifer and David for all you have done to make change and progress possible for chimpanzees and other animals. You make my world a better place, and I’m looking forward to celebrating with you on May 13th at HOOT!

Last summer, when Negra ventured further out onto Young’s Hill than she’s gone before, that was due to the support of you both, and all of the Negra fans out there.

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