Although it sounds like they had no choice but to shoot and kill Travis the 15 year old pet Chimp here in CT, it made me sad. Strangest part is no one who has known him over the years has any real explanation for why he freaked out and became so violent. Apparently he chewed off the owner's friend, Charla's hands.
What happened to Travis?
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TONY M
Flashlight Enthusiast
Very sad indeed. I wonder if the Lyme disease meds had agitated him to do this?
Whatever happened it is quite a sad story.
Whatever happened it is quite a sad story.
LukeA
Flashlight Enthusiast
I've known and said this for a long time: apes are not pets. It's like having a mentally challenged person living with you who is much, much stronger than you.
Also, when they do fight, they don't fight to kill, they fight to humiliate and maim, for example by going for the face, hands, and genitals.
Also, when they do fight, they don't fight to kill, they fight to humiliate and maim, for example by going for the face, hands, and genitals.
Wild animals belong in the Wild, or in a zoo. They are definitely not pets.
Some of the comments the owner made.... :shakehead
She treated him as if he were a human being, and even said that she slept with him. :confused:
As for why he went completely insane, Xanax might indeed be to blame. Problem with Xanax is that in some people, it has the completely opposite effect of what it's supposed to do. Some people actually become incredibly violent after taking the drug. It's quite possible that that is what happened in this case since chimps share 98.5% of our genes. (Still, that remaining 1.5% makes a huge difference).
Chimps are not people.
Here's an interesting link:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/1436794,w-chimpanzee-attack-911-call-021809.article
Some of the comments the owner made.... :shakehead
She treated him as if he were a human being, and even said that she slept with him. :confused:
As for why he went completely insane, Xanax might indeed be to blame. Problem with Xanax is that in some people, it has the completely opposite effect of what it's supposed to do. Some people actually become incredibly violent after taking the drug. It's quite possible that that is what happened in this case since chimps share 98.5% of our genes. (Still, that remaining 1.5% makes a huge difference).
Chimps are not people.
Here's an interesting link:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/1436794,w-chimpanzee-attack-911-call-021809.article
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PhotonBoy
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I worry about diseases being carried by 'pets'.
As I understand it, in many oriental countries, chickens and other animals live closely with humans, permitting unwanted bird flu viruses to spread to humans.
As I understand it, in many oriental countries, chickens and other animals live closely with humans, permitting unwanted bird flu viruses to spread to humans.
kelmo
Flashlight Enthusiast
He went Ape poop!!!
On a more serious note he is basically a wild animal. He did not have generations of conditioning to domesticate him like dogs and cats.
Its sad but what do you expect? Same thing with people who keep bears and big cats for pets.
Chimps are intelligent, but they are very violent animals and cannibals too.
On a more serious note he is basically a wild animal. He did not have generations of conditioning to domesticate him like dogs and cats.
Its sad but what do you expect? Same thing with people who keep bears and big cats for pets.
Chimps are intelligent, but they are very violent animals and cannibals too.
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DaFABRICATA
Flashlight Enthusiast
In America, it's actually illegal to keep wild animals as pets.
In this case, I recall hearing on the news that the state where this woman lives; actually granted her an exemption. But I don't remember why.
In this case, I recall hearing on the news that the state where this woman lives; actually granted her an exemption. But I don't remember why.
Phaserburn
Flashlight Enthusiast
Lol, you're trying pretty hard not to say, "Connecticut" here, aren't you?
:rolleyes:
DaFABRICATA
Flashlight Enthusiast
Is it possible the chimp came from the pumphouse?
Hmm, you think Travis may have had something to do with Dennis Lan's mysterious disappearance?
There's something seriously wrong with the woman who owned that chimp. I'm just glad she's not from my city or state.
I'm not some Manhattanite who drools over living in the big "C". :grin2:
A couple of thoughts on this in no particular order:
1) This animal weighed 200 pounds, and from what I understand chimps are about three times stronger than a human of the same weight. Bad idea to keep an animal which might require three or four strong men to control.
2) Yes, chimpanzees are highly intelligent, easily trained, and can seem almost human at times. And this is exactly what makes them dangerous to keep as pets. Sooner or later any intelligent animal will want to live as it pleases. This can and does result in unpredictable behavoir. Human adolescents are a perfect example. This animal was of the age when he was reaching sexual maturity and also asserting his independence. Picture an out of control adolescent human, but with three times the strength, and lacking a brain to fully comprehend what was going on, yet possessing far more intelligence and dexterity than a cat or dog, and thus to some extent having the ability to outwit those seeking to control him. He likely saw the woman's friend as a threat even if he may not have exhibited this behavoir in the past.
3) Giving Xanax even to a human isn't a particularly good idea. Like many other psychoactive drugs of this type, it causes more problems than it solves. Results are at best unpredictable, and often dangerous. Giving such a drug to a simian with different even if close body chemistry is about as stupid as it gets. She may have changed her story and said she didn't give him Xanax, but I for one don't believe her.
4) It's a shame the police didn't have less lethal means to subdue the animal. I might have thought knowing they had a resident who had a chimpanzee that they at least might have tranquilizer darts. And for that matter why didn't Travis's "owner" (I use the term loosely as I don't feel one owns a pet) have something with which to subdue him. Charming or not, fact is he was a 200 pound animal with massive strength. There is always the possibility he might get out of control. Seeing that I might have trouble subduing an 8 pound house cat hell bent on attacking me, I couldn't imagine dealing with an angry 200 pound chimp. In general it's not a good idea keeping animals you can't physically control, but if you must, have some preferably non-lethal means of controlling them.
Poor Travis died on account of his owner's stupidity in thinking she could keep an intelligent, social but still wild animal as a pet. He should have been with his own kind.
1) This animal weighed 200 pounds, and from what I understand chimps are about three times stronger than a human of the same weight. Bad idea to keep an animal which might require three or four strong men to control.
2) Yes, chimpanzees are highly intelligent, easily trained, and can seem almost human at times. And this is exactly what makes them dangerous to keep as pets. Sooner or later any intelligent animal will want to live as it pleases. This can and does result in unpredictable behavoir. Human adolescents are a perfect example. This animal was of the age when he was reaching sexual maturity and also asserting his independence. Picture an out of control adolescent human, but with three times the strength, and lacking a brain to fully comprehend what was going on, yet possessing far more intelligence and dexterity than a cat or dog, and thus to some extent having the ability to outwit those seeking to control him. He likely saw the woman's friend as a threat even if he may not have exhibited this behavoir in the past.
3) Giving Xanax even to a human isn't a particularly good idea. Like many other psychoactive drugs of this type, it causes more problems than it solves. Results are at best unpredictable, and often dangerous. Giving such a drug to a simian with different even if close body chemistry is about as stupid as it gets. She may have changed her story and said she didn't give him Xanax, but I for one don't believe her.
4) It's a shame the police didn't have less lethal means to subdue the animal. I might have thought knowing they had a resident who had a chimpanzee that they at least might have tranquilizer darts. And for that matter why didn't Travis's "owner" (I use the term loosely as I don't feel one owns a pet) have something with which to subdue him. Charming or not, fact is he was a 200 pound animal with massive strength. There is always the possibility he might get out of control. Seeing that I might have trouble subduing an 8 pound house cat hell bent on attacking me, I couldn't imagine dealing with an angry 200 pound chimp. In general it's not a good idea keeping animals you can't physically control, but if you must, have some preferably non-lethal means of controlling them.
Poor Travis died on account of his owner's stupidity in thinking she could keep an intelligent, social but still wild animal as a pet. He should have been with his own kind.
From the interviews the owner gave, she made it clear that she thought of the chimp as an actual human being. Even calling him, "Her entire world."
The woman was delusional. She treated him like a child, and that's how he responded. (At least in the past). No one would even remotely consider keeping a tranq gun in case their "child" had a bad day. (To put it mildly).
That was the problem.... She didn't see him as a usually tame, wild animal.
As for the police, this wasn't a chimp in a zoo who was attacking another chimp. Not like the cops had bars to protect them from a caged beast on the other side. Cops don't get called to deal with wild animals on an often enough basis. The problem with a tranq gun is that it still takes a few seconds to take effect. A wild and wounded animal can do a lot of damage to an officer in those few seconds. Having them take a less lethal approach in such a case is unreasonable. They did what they had to do.
The woman was delusional. She treated him like a child, and that's how he responded. (At least in the past). No one would even remotely consider keeping a tranq gun in case their "child" had a bad day. (To put it mildly).
That was the problem.... She didn't see him as a usually tame, wild animal.
As for the police, this wasn't a chimp in a zoo who was attacking another chimp. Not like the cops had bars to protect them from a caged beast on the other side. Cops don't get called to deal with wild animals on an often enough basis. The problem with a tranq gun is that it still takes a few seconds to take effect. A wild and wounded animal can do a lot of damage to an officer in those few seconds. Having them take a less lethal approach in such a case is unreasonable. They did what they had to do.
LukeA
Flashlight Enthusiast
...without a permit. And it's done at the state level.
Many of those permits are issued to Animal Rescue organizations since some states don't make a distinction between pets and rescued animals that are cared for.
The owner had a large property. It's not likely that a permit would be given to someone living in an apartment.
Chuck289
Enlightened
Reminds of Chris Rock regarding Sigfried and Roy's Tiger.
"The tiger didnt go crazy, the tiger went tiger!"
"The tiger didnt go crazy, the tiger went tiger!"
Phaserburn
Flashlight Enthusiast
When they passed the law, as is often done...they grandfather exempted existing pets. Same thing when CT passed Assault Weapons Ban...existing owners were grandfathered.
The police had no choice, they responded promptly to a terrifying 911 call where friend was being maulted (her hands and face were eaten off), then Travis went after the officers, into their vehicles. They shot and killed him after Travis opened their car door and began going after them in their car. Here is a CNN video just released. The victim is still in critical condition.
The owner denies giving him Xanax, but he was being treated for Lyme Disease. She was obviously mentally disturbed. She reports that he slept next to her in bed, drank wine, and was able to take car keys and drive away in her car on numerous occasions...which she likely thought was cute.
There are many other locations throughout the USA where idiot human owners have dangerous exotic animals as pets, including many Chimpanzees.
The police had no choice, they responded promptly to a terrifying 911 call where friend was being maulted (her hands and face were eaten off), then Travis went after the officers, into their vehicles. They shot and killed him after Travis opened their car door and began going after them in their car. Here is a CNN video just released. The victim is still in critical condition.
The owner denies giving him Xanax, but he was being treated for Lyme Disease. She was obviously mentally disturbed. She reports that he slept next to her in bed, drank wine, and was able to take car keys and drive away in her car on numerous occasions...which she likely thought was cute.
There are many other locations throughout the USA where idiot human owners have dangerous exotic animals as pets, including many Chimpanzees.
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