02/17/2009 9:55 am

POV

Chimp Attack Leaves Woman in Critical Condition

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Chimps may not make the best pets.

Charla Nash, 55, found that out first hand when her friend’s pet chimpanzee, Travis, attacked her during a visit to the friend’s home in Stamford, CT. The almost 200-pound Travis apparently used a key to escape the house, and Nash’s friend, Sandra Herold, had called Nash over to help get him back inside. But Travis wanted none of it, and attacked Nash, leaving her hospitalized with life-threatening injuries to her face, neck and hands. Herold stabbed Travis with a butcher knife and hit him with a shovel to try to stop him.

Travis, who was well known in Stamford for driving around in his owner’s tow trucks and who could dress himself, was shot and killed by a responding police officer when it tried to get into his cruiser. He apparently was also known for liking police cars. Two officers were reportedly injured in the attack. 

"It was a very serious attack. Nash suffered a tremendous loss of blood, terrible facial injuries, body injuries and hand injuries," Capt. Richard Conklin told The Stamford Advocate. "The chimpanzee exited the house and for some reason, we don’t know what triggered it, attacked the visitor …it was a very extreme attack, a very brutal attack." We wish Nash a speedy recovery!

11 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

MarjorieC
The almost 200-pound Travis (chimpanzee) Way too big for a house pet under the control of a woman, especially something with the intelligence of a chimpanzee.
By MarjorieC on 02/17/2009 10:11 am
MsDee1
Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. This didn’t need to happen.
By MsDee1 on 02/17/2009 10:15 am
DavidDax
Since when does someone attempt to “domesticate” such an animal — especially one this size with the capacity to maim and kill? This person is going to have fun with her insurance company after this tragedy.
By DavidDax on 02/17/2009 10:34 am
HABIBI
More stupid people trying to domesticate wild animals!
By HABIBI on 02/17/2009 10:49 am
BelindaJoy
A 200 Chimp living in Stanford Connecticut in a residential area? I can hear it now. Just as pit bull dog owners always claim after their dog attacks someone “they aren’t dangerous, this was an isolated incident”
By BelindaJoy on 02/17/2009 10:52 am
GrandeCamper
When are people going to learn that not all animals are domestic animals?
By GrandeCamper on 02/17/2009 11:09 am
DianaT
As chimps approach and go through puberty, they become very dangerous. Did this person not have the sense to do some research on them? BTW, when the Today show premiered back in the 50’s, there was a darling young chimp named J.Fred Muggs that always appeared every day with the host, Dave Garroway. Everything went fine until the day came that out of nowhere J. Fred went bezerk and tore the place apart—literally. That was the end of J. Fred Muggs TV career. They can kill….not cuddly little pets. I get so tired of people thinking that exotic animals can also make cuddly toy pets.
By DianaT on 02/17/2009 11:35 am
DianaT
Here is a very interesting article about the event, and some realistic facts about chimps. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29233931/
By DianaT on 02/17/2009 11:45 am
SandbeeFB54
Seigfried and Roy thought they knew their animals, people think their animal is different. But over and over it happens, the day comes when the animal acts like an animal.
By SandbeeFB54 on 02/17/2009 12:41 pm
SpaMoi1

What uncomprehending 6-year old wrote this piece? The quote of how extreme, brutal and horrific the attack was followed by a breezy "We wish Nash a speedy recovery!" It is quite evident that if this poor woman survives, she will require years of physical, mental and emotional rehabilitation.

Word for the day ‘WoW Staff’: S-E-N-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-I-E-S.

By SpaMoi1 on 02/18/2009 5:56 am
MariaMiller
This was a horrible attack.  Don’t follow it up by wishing someone a "speedy recovery".
By MariaMiller on 02/20/2009 10:14 am