OkcPets Magazine January 2024

January / February 2024 • OKC Pets 21 CARING FOR THOSE IN NEED Oklahoma Primate Sanctuary Celebrates 25 Years by Cynthia Armstrong | Photos courtesy of Tim Ajax, Oklahoma Primate Sanctuary L ocated outside Newcastle, the Oklahoma Primate Sanctuary (OPS) has cared for hundreds of primates in need for the past 25 years. Primate residents range from a few years old to more than 30 years of age and represent 16 distinct species: three species of capuchin, four species of vervet-type monkeys, patas monkeys, six species of macaques, and two species of lemurs. All the resident primates are either retired from research, rehomed from the pet trade, retired from display, or have been the subject of cruelty cases. Because of their unnatural upbringing in those settings, many of the monkeys display ab- normal behaviors when they arrive, which they developed as a way to deal with the intense stresses they suffered in their early years. These primates can never be released to the wild, so the sanctuary’s focus is on providing a highly enriched environment that stimulates and encourages engage- ment in natural behaviors such as foraging for food and social grooming. A Modest Beginning In 1993, sanctuary founder Linda Barkley accepted a female rhesus macaque monkey named Mindy Sue. The aging monkey suffered from some painful conditions. As Barkley desperately tried to save the mon- key’s life, she witnessed firsthand the intel- ligence, strength, and awareness that was Mindy Sue. After Mindy’s passing, Barkley named the organization in her memory (Mindy’s Memory Primate Sanctuary) and began to care for additional monkeys that needed permanent placement. The sanctu- ary quickly grew to meet the demand for quality homes and was formally registered as a nonprofit organization in 1998. In 2018, the organization’s name was changed to Oklahoma Primate Sanctuary to better reflect the nature of the work and to enhance recognition of the mission. Monkeys Belong in the Wild, Not in People’s Homes Monkeys evolved to live in highly social groups of other monkeys and range over large areas. Given proper care, some species can live as long as 40 years. No matter how much they look like people, monkeys are wild animals. Because of that, as they get older, their behavior is unpredictable and dangerous for human owners, who often resort to caging them, chaining them, or removing their teeth. Danny Girl, a 15-year-old tantalus mon- key, was surrendered to OPS more than four years ago. She was originally bought as a baby by someone seeking a pet. One day Danny bit her owner (no fault of Dan- ny Girl because she is not a domesticated animal), and her owner thought filing Danny’s canine teeth down might prevent another bite. The procedure exposed the tooth pulp, causing extreme pain. After a death in the family, Danny was turned over to the Oklahoma Primate Sanctuary for proper care and to live the rest of her life in a more appropriate setting. Prince, an eight-year-old rhesus ma- caque, was raised in a private home in Texas as an emotional-support animal. As Since her dental surgery, Danny Girl has thrived and loves all types of foods.