SAVE THE CHIMPS SANCTUARY

It there is a chimpanzee who is symbol of suffering in medical torture laboratories of United States, maybe Rufus is the one. Primatologist Carole Noon found him in a place she called “dungeon”, alone and abandoned, when she assumed the control of the labs of Coulston Foundation, in New Mexico, a few years ago.

Rufus left the “dungeon” and went to Florid to enjoy the Sun, which made him forget his terrible past. But unhappiness was following him yet. Earlier this year a infection hit his wrist bones, threatening to get all his arm and end up in septicaemia. On Augut it was decided to amputate his arm. A multidisciplinary team was mobilized, coordinated by human bone surgeon, Dr. Guy Hickman Jr., who, voluntarily, together with veterinarians, participated of the surgery.

The main problem was the recovery after the surgery. When they are in group, chimpanzees tend to take care of the wounds of each other. In the beginning Rufus was kept alone and get used faster than everyone expected to the idea of having only one arm. A week later he was putting together with Ted, his first friend at the sanctuary, who is almost blind and would not notice the wound of the surgery. Another week later Marisa, his friend, was allowed to get together with them, but she started to nudge the wound and had to be separated. Three weeks later, Rufus had the wound already healed and was read to get together with his family,

Rufus thought the years of torture in the laboratory had ended, but this new problem brought pain and anxiety to his soul again. Nevertheless, his strength and will to live were always bigger than the difficulties he had to face, and again he overwhelmed suffering to reborn and to live many years more in company of his friends.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian
President, GAP Project International