JESSAMINE COUNT, Ky. (LEX News) — A nonprofit sanctuary tucked into 30 acres of Jessamine County, Kentucky, has spent 40 years providing lifetime care for monkeys and chimpanzees rescued from situations they should never have been in.
The Primate Rescue Center cares for about nine different species of primates, including chimpanzees, spider monkeys, vervet monkeys and macaque monkeys.
Eileen Dallaire, the center's executive director, said the organization exists to give these animals a permanent home.
"We're a nonprofit lifetime care that provides sanctuary for monkeys and chimpanzees that are rescued from various situations that they find themselves in and can no longer stay in, or probably shouldn't have been in, those situations in the first place," Dallaire said.
Most of the primates at the center come from private pet situations. Dallaire said owners typically reach out when they realize keeping a monkey at home is not a good idea.
"Most of the primates come to us through the private pet situations, and owners usually call us when they realize having a pet monkey is not usually a good idea and call us and ask us to provide them care for the rest of their lives," Dallaire said.
One resident, a monkey named Andy, was found roaming loose in someone's backyard in Bath County, Kentucky, before arriving at the sanctuary.
When a new primate arrives, the center follows strict intake protocols to protect the health of all its residents.
"When monkeys arrive here, or when any primate arrives here. We have protocols after that arrival which include extensive veterinary examination by our vet. There's also a quarantine period to make sure they're healthy enough to be part of a healthy group that's here," Dallaire said.
Life at the sanctuary centers on choice and the freedom for each animal to grow into its own. Dallaire said the bonds that form between staff and the primates can run deep.
"I don't want to make assumptions, but Martina, the alpha chimpanzee, and I have a pretty close relationship. I usually stay a little later than when the staff goes home. So she's usually waiting outside as I get in my car to ask me to come over," Dallaire said.
After four decades of operating the sanctuary, Dallaire said the evidence is clear: primates do not belong in private homes, no matter how well-intentioned the owner.
"Of 40 years of operating a primate sanctuary, we see all the time that primates don't work in a private home. Even with the best intentions. Even with some knowledge about primates or all the love you have to give them. It's just a situation that's ultimately not compatible. Monkeys and chimps need more than what one human can provide in a home setting," Dallaire said.
The center is closed to the public, and the address is protected to keep the monkeys and chimpanzees safe. However, the center is funded entirely by donations. If you'd like to help fund the center, you can go to this link to donate.
