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February 17, 2009

Chimp Goes Ape

These things ain't pets

(CNN) -- A woman has been hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after a pet chimpanzee attacked her at a friend's home in Stamford, Connecticut, police said. Travis is shown in 2003, when he escaped and "wreaked havoc" on the streets of Stamford, Connecticut.

Charla Nash, 55, had just arrived at her friend Sandra Herold's house when the chimp, named Travis, jumped on her and began biting and mauling her, causing serious injuries to her face, neck and hands, according to Stamford Police Capt. Rich Conklin, who said the attack was unprovoked.

Herold had called Nash to her house to help get 14-year-old Travis back inside after he used a key to escape.

Wild animals are...wild animals.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at February 17, 2009 09:47 AM

Comments

Wild animals are...wild animals.

Some people are.......stupid. They view all animals as "cute and cuddly", generally a fatal mistake. Our position in the food chain is a tenuous one.

Posted by: JeffS at February 17, 2009 01:30 PM

Out of all primates the chimpanzee is probably the most volatile and dangerous. Unfortunately so many people think otherwise because of the cute and funny way they've been portrayed in media.

Lancelot Link was more of a threat than Gentle Ben.

Posted by: Gunslinger at February 17, 2009 05:07 PM

I've heard that older chimps are far more of a danger because they eventually figure out that they're far stronger than humans and decide to try to lead the pack. The big thing that keeps us in front of nature is brainpower - avoiding stupidity is half the battle in life.

Posted by: nightfly at February 17, 2009 05:55 PM

...avoiding stupidity is half the battle in life.

Which puts half-wits at an extreme disadvantage.

Posted by: JeffS at February 17, 2009 06:03 PM

I just can't get over the fact the chimp weighed in at 200 pounds. Good lord.

Posted by: Ebola at February 17, 2009 06:34 PM

Baby chimps are cute. Baby tigers are cute. Adults? Not so much when they're clawing your face off.

Posted by: Skyler at February 17, 2009 07:48 PM

a CNN commentator made a good point about the impossibility of ever truly domesticating a wild animal, no matter how much a person might want it to to be domesticated

Posted by: Joe at February 18, 2009 12:24 AM

My sympathies go to the CHIMP!!

Posted by: Thrash at February 18, 2009 12:46 AM

Mine don't.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at February 18, 2009 07:23 AM

When will people learn? These animals belong in th wild, not on a leash or a chain. What this person dosent realise about her "precious" pet is that 90% chance its mother was shot and killed, and "Travis" was ripped from his mother to be sold on the black market.
The crap these animals have to go through to be portrayed as a cute and cuddley spokes model for some company is despicable, sadly the majority of people dont give a shit and thats why in the next decade Orangutans will only be found in books and video and primates will still be used as tools. People need to wake the fck up.

Posted by: B at February 18, 2009 08:14 AM

What B. said.

If you want a "pet," get a dog or a cat. Don't get something that's (a) not domesticated and (b) weighs more than the average adult woman.

Wild animals should not be pets. It's unfair to the animal, and unfair to any people who come into contact with it. (I even have problems with people keeping deer as pets).

Oh, and:

"avoiding stupidity is half the battle in life."

Would that I could. I've had to deal with so much stupid this week. If I could find a stupid-free island, I'd move there in a heartbeat.

Posted by: ricki at February 18, 2009 10:32 AM