Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

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Animal Sanctuary Caregiver Day

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Caregivers are the heart and soul of every animal sanctuary. To recognize their vital contribution to the well being of thousands of rescued animals around the world, the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance has teamed up with the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries to create a day in their honor. Today, we are proud to celebrate the first annual Animal Sanctuary Caregiver Day!

Here at CSNW, it’s impossible to overstate the love, dedication, and commitment that our caregivers demonstrate every day. Every moment of playfulness we share on this blog, every picture of contentment you see, is the product of thousands of hours of hard work by CSNW’s caregiver crew.

The staff and volunteer caregivers clean for five hours a day, seven days a week. It is a never-ending job.

They prepare the chimps’ many meals, forages, and food puzzles each day.

They invest countless hours in training so that they can help serve those meals safely.

They wash and fold 70 or more blankets a day so the chimps can build fresh, clean nests.

They plant gardens and tend to them throughout the summer so that they chimps will have the freshest produce possible.

They throw parties for the chimps to keep life exciting and interesting.

They spend countless hours building trust and developing friendships.

They tend to wounds and ensure that medications are administered daily.

They engage in hundreds of hours of positive reinforcement training so that the chimps learn to cooperate with physical exams.

They walk for miles around Young’s Hill in the blazing sun and the pouring rain to keep Jamie and her friends company.

They work weekends and holidays because the chimps never take a day off from needing our care. And when Jamie insists on staying out all night and walking in the moonlight, they are there too – even when they might rather be home in bed.

Caring for chimpanzees is hard work. It’s physically demanding and, at times, emotionally draining. But it can also be unbelievably rewarding. We are lucky to be surrounded and supported by people who find fulfillment in working hard for the benefit of others; people who measure success by the amount of good they can do for the animals who so desperately need our help.

To Elizabeth, Katelyn, and Anna, who dedicate their lives to the Cle Elum Seven, to the dozens of selfless volunteers and interns who give up their free time to serve these deserving chimpanzees, and to sanctuary caregivers around the world: Thank you for all you do and Happy Animal Sanctuary Caregiver Day!

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Thank you, Keri!

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We’re sad to announce that caregiver and master-of-all-things-enrichment, Keri Heniff, is stepping down from her role as a part-time staff member at CSNW. The good news, however, is that she’s not really going anywhere – Keri will continue to make the long drive from Leavenworth to care for the Cle Elum Seven as a volunteer. We’ll just see her a little less often.

Keri has been a true friend to the chimps and an indispensable member of the team here at CSNW. So even though we’re not really losing her, I hope you’ll join me in taking this moment to thank her for her hard work, her dedication, and her devotion to the chimps.

And by the way, Keri, Jamie has made it clear that the boots will fit the same whether you are a staff member or a volunteer and she expects the same number of walks when you are here.

We’re looking forward to introducing you to CSNW’s newest staff member, Kelsi, in June when she completes her cross-continental journey from Quebec.

7 Days of Thanks

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In the spirit of the upcoming holiday, we’ve decided to spend the next seven days giving thanks for all of the primates – human and nonhuman – that make this sanctuary what it is. To start, I’d like to recognize the folks that literally dedicate their lives to the well being of the Cle Elum Seven. No one has had more of a direct impact on the lives of these chimpanzees than the staff that care for them each and every day.

The other day I came across this photo of Jamie, taken just days after she had arrived at the sanctuary in 2008.

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It’s amazing how much she has changed.

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When I look at Jamie now, I see the effects of good food, exercise, and sunshine. But I also see a reflection of the people that care for her and the patience, dedication, and selflessness they bring to their work.

Caring for Jamie is not easy. She tests you nearly every day. While some people would consider getting to work with chimps a dream job, their dream version of the job probably doesn’t involve dodging mouthfuls of spit and handfuls of feces on a daily basis. But that is the reality. Jamie is a smart, strong-willed person with a need for control, and for 30 years she was robbed of her autonomy and with it, her dignity. Now she calls the shots. For the first time in her life she is surrounded by people who are willing to put her first.

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That, to me, is the essence of a caregiver’s role. And I’m amazed each and every day by how much of themselves the staff are willing to put into the care of these chimpanzees. Whether it’s cleaning, preparing meals, or taking one last walk around Young’s Hill after a long day, the sanctuary staff are willing to do whatever it takes to keep the chimps happy.

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There is a light in Jamie’s eye that wasn’t there when we first met her in that laboratory basement.

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To the people who work so hard to keep that light shining, we give our thanks.

Elizabeth:

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Debbie:
Charlotte Ross at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Katelyn:

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Keri:

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Hellos and Goodbyes

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One of the greatest talents of the Cle Elum Seven chimpanzees is their ability to attract amazing people into their lives.

Unfortunately, they can’t all stay with us forever. In one week, we will be saying farewell to Lisa Schuster, who has served as a part-time caregiver for over a year and as a volunteer for many years before that. In all of her time at CSNW, Lisa has worked tirelessly on behalf of the chimpanzees, from cleaning enclosures to serving meals and everything in between. But most importantly, she has been a true friend and companion to Jamie, Foxie, Jody, Missy, Annie, Burrito, and Negra. So thank you, Lisa, for all you have done for the sanctuary and for chimpanzees everywhere. We know that Jody will be anxiously awaiting your visits.

Though we are sad to see Lisa go, we are also excited to welcome CSNW’s newest team member, Keri Heniff. Keri has been a volunteer at CSNW since 2012 and has been training for the last six weeks for her new role as a part-time staff caregiver. In addition to caring for the chimps, she will be sharing her experiences right here on the blog. You can learn more about Keri here, and you can reach her by emailing [email protected].

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Lisa and Keri