Police Gun Down Travis The Chimp After He Mauls Owner's Friend - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 02-17-2009, 08:16 AM

Pet Chimp Shot After Mauling Woman
Owner Stabs Animal Repeatedly in Attempt to Help Visitor Under Attack
By STEPHANIE REITZ, AP

HARTFORD, Conn. (Feb. 17) - A highly trained 200-pound chimpanzee who once starred in TV commercials for Old Navy and Coca-Cola was shot dead by police after a violent rampage that left a friend of its owner badly mauled.
Sandra Herold, the owner of the 15-year-old chimp named Travis, wrestled with the animal after it inexplicably attacked her friend Monday when the visitor got out of her car in front of Herold's home.

"She retrieved a large butcher knife and stabbed her longtime pet numerous times in an effort to save her friend, who was really being brutally attacked," said Stamford police Capt. Richard Conklin.

The injured woman suffered facial injuries and blood loss. She was hospitalized late Monday in very serious condition at Stamford Hospital, police said. Her identity was not immediately released.

"There was no provocation that we know of. One thing that we're looking into is that we understand the chimpanzee has Lyme disease and has been ill from that, so maybe from the medications he was out of sorts. We really don't know," Conklin said.

After the initial attack, Travis ran away and started roaming Herold's property until police arrived, setting up security so medics could reach the critically injured woman, Conklin said.

But the chimpanzee returned and went after several of the officers, who retreated into their cars, Conklin said. Travis knocked the mirror off a cruiser before opening its door and starting to get in, trapping the officer.
That officer shot the chimpanzee several times, Conklin said.

The wounded chimpanzee fled the scene, but Conklin said police were able to follow the trail of his blood: down the driveway, into the open door of the home, through the house and to his living quarters, where he had retreated and died of his wounds.

Herold and two officers also received minor injuries, police said.

A message seeking comment was left Monday night at Herold's home.

The 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. Officers used cookies, macadamia treats and ice cream in an attempt to lure him, but subdued him only after he became too tired to resist.

At the time of the 2003 incident, police said the Herolds told them the chimpanzee was toilet trained, dressed himself, took his own bath, ate at the table and drank wine from a stemmed glass. He also brushed his teeth using a Water Pik, logged onto the computer to look at pictures, and watched television using the remote control, police said.

When he was younger, Travis appeared on TV commercials for Old Navy and Coca-Cola, made an appearance on the "Maury Povich Show" and took part in a television pilot, according to a 2003 story in The Advocate newspaper of Stamford.
"He's been raised almost like a child by this family," Conklin said Monday. "He rides in a car every day, he opens doors, he's a very unique animal in that aspect. We have no indication of what provoked this behavior at all."

http://news.aol.com/article/pet-chim...g-woman/345410

Chocoholic · 02-17-2009, 04:11 PM

How long before PETA gets involved and claims the police used excessive force and stuff?

JamesG · 02-17-2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocoholic

How long before PETA gets involved and claims the police used excessive force and stuff?

Ha.

As we all know you don't deal with wild animals and people the same. You can't tell an animal to freeze and read them their rights.

It's sad an animal had to be put down but it had to be done.

Pus$y Galore · 02-17-2009, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesG

Ha.

As we all know you don't deal with wild animals and people the same. You can't tell an animal to freeze and read them their rights.

It's sad an animal had to be put down but it had to be done.

I agree, and unfortunately the blame still goes back to the owner. No matter how nicely you raise an ape, and especially chimps, once they're out of their childhood (i.e. 10 or older) you're asking for trouble down the road. Jane Goodall has proven that chimps can become quite aggressive and deadly as they get older. There's no indication that its ready to happen either - they just snap at some point. Even in the wild they do this and will go on murderous rampages.

You wouldn't get me near an older chimp - and I love all animals. I also have a healthy respect for them and know the ones who should be left in the wild, and chimps are up there with polar bears, panthers, leopards, etc..

What a horrible way to lose a friend.

80sTrivia · 02-17-2009, 05:35 PM

Such a sad story...

dawsongirl · 02-17-2009, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripperFan

I agree, and unfortunately the blame still goes back to the owner. No matter how nicely you raise an ape, and especially chimps, once they're out of their childhood (i.e. 10 or older) you're asking for trouble down the road. Jane Goodall has proven that chimps can become quite aggressive and deadly as they get older. There's no indication that its ready to happen either - they just snap at some point. Even in the wild they do this and will go on murderous rampages.

You wouldn't get me near an older chimp - and I love all animals. I also have a healthy respect for them and know the ones who should be left in the wild, and chimps are up there with polar bears, panthers, leopards, etc..

What a horrible way to lose a friend.

Wow...I didn't know that about chimps.

OH Nuts! · 02-18-2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripperFan

I agree, and unfortunately the blame still goes back to the owner. No matter how nicely you raise an ape, and especially chimps, once they're out of their childhood (i.e. 10 or older) you're asking for trouble down the road. Jane Goodall has proven that chimps can become quite aggressive and deadly as they get older. There's no indication that its ready to happen either - they just snap at some point. Even in the wild they do this and will go on murderous rampages.

You wouldn't get me near an older chimp - and I love all animals. I also have a healthy respect for them and know the ones who should be left in the wild, and chimps are up there with polar bears, panthers, leopards, etc..

What a horrible way to lose a friend.

I couldn't agree with you more. Very nicely said. There's a reason they're called wild animals. That baby lion or bear cub may lick your face when its an infant, but when it gets older, its very likely to maul you.

browneyes106 · 02-18-2009, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesG

Ha.

As we all know you don't deal with wild animals and people the same. You can't tell an animal to freeze and read them their rights.

It's sad an animal had to be put down but it had to be done.

I totally agree wild animals can't be reasoned with. The chimp needed to be killed he already harmed a human.

Lee · 02-18-2009, 02:21 AM

A wild animal has no place in open society

Lee · 02-18-2009, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocoholic

How long before PETA gets involved and claims the police used excessive force and stuff?

In my opinion, this was a situation where police had no choice but to use
deadly force to end the situation. The blame should be on the owner of the
chimp although I feel very deeply for her because she lost a friend. It's all
good and dandy for PETA to chime in with their stance on animals but most
of them have never been in the wild to experience these animals first hand-
If they did I bet some of these nuts and fruitcakes would change their
opinions very quickly.

ekkostar · 02-18-2009, 09:17 AM

In before a dozen monkey puns.

browneyes106 · 02-18-2009, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

In my opinion, this was a situation where police had no choice but to use
deadly force to end the situation. The blame should be on the owner of the
chimp although I feel very deeply for her because she lost a friend. It's all
good and dandy for PETA to chime in with their stance on animals but most
of them have never been in the wild to experience these animals first hand-
If they did I bet some of these nuts and fruitcakes would change their
opinions very quickly.

I do feel sorry for the owner too. She probably feels guilty for what happened to her friend. I hope she takes full responsbility and doesn't blame the police. I agree probably most PETA members have never experienced dealing with wild animals. Sometimes you don't to kill animal but for human safety you have to. My dad killed three bears around our house when I was growing up it wasn't that he enjoyed killing them he did it for our safety.

Chocoholic · 02-18-2009, 03:30 PM

Wild animals belong in the wild and people come before animals. She was stupid for keeping that chimp in the first place. I hope her friend recovers.

Lee · 02-19-2009, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocoholic

Wild animals belong in the wild and people come before animals. She was stupid for keeping that chimp in the first place. I hope her friend recovers.

But still you have to feel sorry for her losing one of her friends

Hollow · 02-19-2009, 03:29 AM

Charla Nash lost eyes, nose and jaw in chimpanzee attack

that has to be unfathomably traumatizing. since when was it even legal to keep monkeys as pets? i do feel bad for the owner though. i wouldn't sympathize her if the chimp had, for example, broken everything in her house, but something like this was probably too unexpected. it sounds like she'd been raising it long enough to think she could predict its reactions. the police did the right thing, but it's sad she had to lose a longtime pet that she was probably very attached to, let alone the agony of watching her friend go through that. i don't even want to imagine what it was like for either of them.

02-17-2009, 08:16 AM	#1
JamesG Moderator Forum Veteran Freakshow Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 22,338	Police Gun Down Travis The Chimp After He Mauls Owner's Friend Pet Chimp Shot After Mauling Woman Owner Stabs Animal Repeatedly in Attempt to Help Visitor Under Attack By STEPHANIE REITZ, AP HARTFORD, Conn. (Feb. 17) - A highly trained 200-pound chimpanzee who once starred in TV commercials for Old Navy and Coca-Cola was shot dead by police after a violent rampage that left a friend of its owner badly mauled. Sandra Herold, the owner of the 15-year-old chimp named Travis, wrestled with the animal after it inexplicably attacked her friend Monday when the visitor got out of her car in front of Herold's home. "She retrieved a large butcher knife and stabbed her longtime pet numerous times in an effort to save her friend, who was really being brutally attacked," said Stamford police Capt. Richard Conklin. The injured woman suffered facial injuries and blood loss. She was hospitalized late Monday in very serious condition at Stamford Hospital, police said. Her identity was not immediately released. "There was no provocation that we know of. One thing that we're looking into is that we understand the chimpanzee has Lyme disease and has been ill from that, so maybe from the medications he was out of sorts. We really don't know," Conklin said. After the initial attack, Travis ran away and started roaming Herold's property until police arrived, setting up security so medics could reach the critically injured woman, Conklin said. But the chimpanzee returned and went after several of the officers, who retreated into their cars, Conklin said. Travis knocked the mirror off a cruiser before opening its door and starting to get in, trapping the officer. That officer shot the chimpanzee several times, Conklin said. The wounded chimpanzee fled the scene, but Conklin said police were able to follow the trail of his blood: down the driveway, into the open door of the home, through the house and to his living quarters, where he had retreated and died of his wounds. Herold and two officers also received minor injuries, police said. A message seeking comment was left Monday night at Herold's home. The 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. Officers used cookies, macadamia treats and ice cream in an attempt to lure him, but subdued him only after he became too tired to resist. At the time of the 2003 incident, police said the Herolds told them the chimpanzee was toilet trained, dressed himself, took his own bath, ate at the table and drank wine from a stemmed glass. He also brushed his teeth using a Water Pik, logged onto the computer to look at pictures, and watched television using the remote control, police said. When he was younger, Travis appeared on TV commercials for Old Navy and Coca-Cola, made an appearance on the "Maury Povich Show" and took part in a television pilot, according to a 2003 story in The Advocate newspaper of Stamford. "He's been raised almost like a child by this family," Conklin said Monday. "He rides in a car every day, he opens doors, he's a very unique animal in that aspect. We have no indication of what provoked this behavior at all." http://news.aol.com/article/pet-chim...g-woman/345410

02-17-2009, 05:35 PM	#5
80sTrivia Senior Member Pop Culture Soothsayer Join Date: May 23, 2002 Location: Alas, Babylon Posts: 9,837	Such a sad story... __________________ Too Much Information!!! The Wacky! The Weird! The Wild! All in One Place Thank You for Being a Friend: A Golden Girls Trivia Book! The Totally Awesome 80s TV Trivia Book! Evangeline, Alive & Well: A Story of Hope in Haiti

02-18-2009, 09:17 AM	#11
ekkostar Senior Member Coffee, Tea & Larroquette! Join Date: Apr 16, 2005 Posts: 1,069	In before a dozen monkey puns. __________________ "All my sitcoms had an audience, with four or five cameras, so working this way has always been appealing to me." - John Larroquette A living legend, five Emmys and a Tony award! Your favorites could never...

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02-17-2009, 04:11 PM	#2
Chocoholic Banned!! Forum Veteran Banned Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Between a rock and a hard place. Posts: 11,173	How long before PETA gets involved and claims the police used excessive force and stuff?

02-18-2009, 02:21 AM	#9
Lee Senior Member veteran member Join Date: May 23, 2001 Location: Caledonia, Mississippi Posts: 4,015	A wild animal has no place in open society

02-18-2009, 03:30 PM	#13
Chocoholic Banned!! Forum Veteran Banned Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Between a rock and a hard place. Posts: 11,173	Wild animals belong in the wild and people come before animals. She was stupid for keeping that chimp in the first place. I hope her friend recovers.

02-19-2009, 03:29 AM	#15
Hollow Forum Celebrity Member Join Date: Dec 16, 2001 Posts: 30,234	Charla Nash lost eyes, nose and jaw in chimpanzee attack that has to be unfathomably traumatizing. since when was it even legal to keep monkeys as pets? i do feel bad for the owner though. i wouldn't sympathize her if the chimp had, for example, broken everything in her house, but something like this was probably too unexpected. it sounds like she'd been raising it long enough to think she could predict its reactions. the police did the right thing, but it's sad she had to lose a longtime pet that she was probably very attached to, let alone the agony of watching her friend go through that. i don't even want to imagine what it was like for either of them.