April 2009

Henry, a pet chimpanzee rescued by the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, has finally found his new home at Chimp Haven. Last November, Henry was found emaciated and vomiting blood, living in the garage of a private home. The story of Henry’s life is not unlike that of many privately-owned “pet” chimpanzees, which often end in neglect, abuse and suffering. 

Henry’s History  
Henry is approximately 23 years old. He was originally called “Fred” and was part of a drive thru exotic animal safari between Houston and Dallas. The park closed in the 1980’s and Henry was sold to a dealer who was known to treat his animals inhumanely. This man drove around with Henry in his truck and beat him with chains if he was aggressive. He tried selling him at a number of exotic animal auctions. The dealer finally sold him to another individual living in Spring, TX.  The story is all too familiar – the dealer told the potential buyer that he was gentle and could eat at the table with them. The naïve person bought Henry, but he bit someone in the family. Henry was returned to the dealer a year later due to a court ruling. The dealer then sold Henry when he was 8 years old to another private citizen.  For the next 15 years, Henry was not heard of again… until the call came to the Houston SPCA. Henry was found by the Houston SPCA in a rusty cage in a garage. He was alone and surrounded by filth. He was given soda in cans (which are all over the floor), fed coffee and given cigarettes. When he arrived at the HSPCA he was vomiting and had bloody diarrhea. Henry weighed only 66 pounds!  This is only about half the normal weight for an adult male chimpanzee. His malnourishment was severe, and he has a hunched posture which may never go away.

Recovery  
For the past several months, the Houston SPCA and Houston Zoo veterinarians have worked together to put Henry on the road to recovery. He has gained weight, increased mobility and his bleeding ulcers are under control. Henry is friendly and likes people, but needs to be resocialized with other chimpanzees so that he can finally know the comfort of gentle grooming and a hug from a friend. He also needs large, spacious outdoor areas to encourage movement and build up his bones and muscles. With Chimp Haven’s experience caring for elderly and sick chimpanzees, they can provide him the best possible home. 

Finally Home! 
Henry arrived at Chimp Haven, his new permanent home, on February 23, 2009. No one was sure how he would react to the changes – a new home, new caregivers and chimpanzees. But Henry amazed everyone as he quickly checked out his new bedrooms and picked up a frozen treat to sample. He explored every inch of his new home, and looked intently at some other chimpanzees across the hallway. When the door was open to the outdoor courtyard, he ran out and climbed to the top of the structure immediately.  Henry seems to have settled into his new home easily. He will continue his physical recovery and, with the help of the Chimp Haven staff and chimpanzees, finally learn what it is like to be a chimpanzee.

©Photos credited to Chimp Haven