Travis, the 200 lb celebrity chimpanzee was toilet trained, dressed himself, took his own bath, ate at the table and drank wine from a stemmed glass. Totally bizarre situation in Stamford CT, 15 year old pet chimp attacks female visitor!
Updates added Tuesday 2/17: Gruesome details at Gateway Pundit and Threats Against Pet Owner WCBS-TV
Stamford CT February 16, 2009: (Hartford Courant)
Officers were called to a house on Rockrimmon Road after the owner lost control of the 175-pound primate, which was shot and killed by a responding officer when it tried to get into his cruiser, police said….. the owner called 911 and tried to stop the attack by stabbing the chimpanzee with a butcher knife…As emergency crews arrived to treat the victim, the chimpanzee… revived and opened the door of one of the police cruisers. The officer inside fired several shots, killing the chimp…The 15-year-old chimpanzee was well-known around Stamford because he rode around in trucks belonging to the towing company operated by his owners. Police have dealt with him in the past, including an incident in 2003 when he escaped from his owners’ vehicle in downtown Stamford for two hours.
What is going on with these pet owners? There is no shortage of incidents involving persons harboring large exotic pets. Here, at least, the public and the police knew of this hazard and allowed it to continue. Photo below shows Travis opening the police car door.
ConservaCity 
February 18, 2009 at 3:02 am |
The citizens of Stamford Ct. need to ask the authorities:
1. Why a law allowing wild animals in a residentially zoned neighborhood?
2. Did the Stamford Police Dep. get complaints from the neighbors?
If so, was something done by the police? There is evidently a 50-pound weight limit on keeping wild animals.
3. Was the chimpanzee abused by it’s owner over many years that led to this attack?
4. Is the DA seriously investigating these and other questions?
February 18, 2009 at 9:26 pm |
I don’t agree with people owning exotic pets like that but it’s not up to me. I don’t understand why people choose more aggressive species of dogs as pets either.That was one horrific 911 call. I wonder what the extent of the woman’s injuries are. I will check your liksto it.
February 18, 2009 at 10:04 pm |
Larry, here’s a couple more links I just found bringing the story up to date; here and here.
” Herold said she and her beloved chimp would routinely share a glass of wine before snuggling in bed together.” NY Post
C’mon, sleeping with a huge chimp, that’s a sign of serious problems. Apparently she was within her rights keeping the huge animal since laws against it were only enacted after she already had the chimp.
February 19, 2009 at 12:14 pm |
[…] ConservaCity Middletown, Connecticut « Who’s Nuts, The Chimp or the Owners? […]
February 22, 2009 at 7:16 pm |
[…] Nash was nearly eaten alive by a pet chimpanzee named Travis owned by Sandra Herold of Stamford CT. She was so close to death and so terribly […]