In the News

"Chimp shot after mauling woman; Raises questions about keeping exotic pets"

Copyright CanWest Interactive, Inc. Feb 19, 2009

Questions were being asked in Stamford, Conn., after a 90-kilogram pet chimpanzee went berserk and mauled a woman he had known for years, tearing much of her face away.

Richard Blumenthal, the state's Attorney General, said yesterday Sandra Herold had no permit to keep the chimp in a residential area. He blamed "lax" state laws and regulations on the possession of exotic animals and said they needed to be tightened in the wake of the tragedy, the Stamford Advocate reported.

Charla Nash, 55, a friend of Ms. Herold, went to help her calm down the animal on Monday afternoon, but found herself brutally attacked instead. Her injuries include multiple broken bones.

"I've been doing this a long time and have never seen anything this dramatic on a living patient," said Capt. Bill Ackley, head of the paramedic crew that treated Ms. Nash. She remains in hospital in critical condition.

Travis, 14, a popular figure in town, had appeared in television commercials and often posed for photographs at the towing shop operated by his owners.

He had escaped before, and in 2003 playfully held up traffic at a busy intersection for several hours, but had no history of violence. He could drink wine from a stemmed glass, dress and bathe himself, and use a computer.

Ms. Herold told detectives Travis was in a rambunctious mood on Monday. He took her keys from the kitchen table, unlocked a door and let himself out into the yard.

"He's going to different cars and tapping on them, trying the doors, a clear indication he wanted to go for a ride," said Captain Richard Conklin of Stamford Police.

Travis would not be lured back into the house, even after she gave him tea laced with Xanax.

Then Ms. Herold called Ms. Nash, but when she stepped out of her car at around 3:40 p. m., Travis went at her full force. While it was not clear what prompted the assault, Ms. Nash had markedly changed her hairstyle since the last time Travis had seen her, possibly leading him to mistake her for an intruder

Ms. Herold tried to pull the chimp off. Then she called 911, grabbed a butcher's knife and stabbed Travis several times, to little effect. In an interview yesterday, Ms. Herold said as she stabbed him, "he looked at me like, 'Mom, what did you do?'"

A police officer eventually had to shoot the chimp fter he was attacked. Travis disappeared into the woods and was later found dead in his living quarters.

Chimp Call

Authorities have released the 911 call made by Sandra Herold as her chimpanzee, Travis, went on the rampage seriously injuring one person.

Herold "Send the police up! With a gun! With a gun! Hurry up!" 911 Operator "Who has a gun?"

Herold "Please hurry up. He's killing my girlfriend!" 911 Operator "Who is killing your friend?" Herold "My chimpanzee."

911 Operator "Oh, your chimpanzee is killing your friend." Herold "Yeah. He ripped her apart! Hurry up! Hurry up, please!" 911 Operator "There is someone on the way." Herold "With guns, please. Shoot him!" 911 Operator "...What is the monkey doing?" Herold "He ripped her face off!" 911 Operator "He ripped her face off?"

Credit: National Post, With Files From The New York Times