Residents of Baisch Nursing Center in De Soto were thrilled last week when a special guest paid them a visit. Almost all of the nursing home's 40 residents got the chance to hold and cuddle up with Hannah, a 5½-month-old chimpanzee.
"They loved it," said Sharon Greco, administrator of the nursing center. "It was fantastic. I've never seen such big smiles and faces light up. Probably none of them, including myself, had ever held a chimpanzee before. It was quite an experience. I'm so glad we did it. When people who don't normally respond, to see them respond like that, it was great."
Hannah is just one of 22 chimpanzees owned by Connie and Mike Casey of rural Festus. They operate the Missouri Primate Foundation, a chimpanzee retirement sanctuary for pets and performance animals that are no longer wanted. Connie also operates Chimparty, taking chimps to parties and other gatherings to provide entertainment and education.
Greco said it cost the nursing home about $125 to bring Hannah to the facility. "It was well worth it," she said. "We're going to do it again. Maybe twice a year."
Casey takes only the younger, smaller chimps to parties and gatherings. The older ones are too hard to handle, she said.
"In captivity, chimps live to be 50 or 60 years old," Casey said. "At 8 or 10 years old, they weigh about 100 pounds."
Casey said that many of the chimps are no longer wanted after they grow to that size.
"They're usually retired at 9 or 10 years old," she said. "It's not as bad anymore, but they used to be imported and people would get them and then they (the chimps) would get big and they'd get rid of them. They'd send them to research labs."
Casey, who had once run a pet store - the Aqua Barn on Hwy. CC - got into the business to help save those animals, she said.
"I love the chimps," she said. "People think it's all fun, but it's hard work. It's seven days a week, 24 hours a day, all year long. You've got to love them to do it."
For more information about the Missouri Primate Foundation, call Casey at 931-8411.
Click to read past Leader coverage on the events that led to "Chimp Crazy."
