This is horrifying. MSNBC is reporting that the victim lost both eyes, her nose, and part of her jaw. And that the chimp was being illegally kept at the home (which is the opposite of the earlier reports I heard.)

__________________

Reading is Fundamental.

That's awful; such a sad story. I heard the 911 call on the news. The lady thought the chimp had killed her friend; she said he tore her apart. I heard conflicting stories too about whether she had him legally. One said she could, and another said no, but since the chimp was a celebrity (he appeared in Coke and Old Navy ads) they let it go. It was stated that a grown chimp is 3-7 times more powerful than a human.

Very troubling story. No wild animal can ever be a pet, and it doesn't matter how cute or tame the animal is.. It is also reported that this chimp bit someone's hand in 1996. At that point, he should have found a more suitable home.

What kind of lawsuit is the owner of the chimp facing?

__________________
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

The owner admitted that she gave this animal drugs. She said she gave him Xanax because the chimp was 'rowdy'. Chimps shouldn't be given Xanax because in apes, the drug has the opposite intended effect. She knew her chimp was already over excited and not only did she not keep people away from her pet, she gave him a drug that severely magnified the problem. The friend and the chimp are both victims. The owner is completely responsible for this incident. Because of her negligence and stupidity, the chimp is dead and her friend's life is ruined.

Chimp attack "ripped off face" of woman: Was Travis given Xanax drugs by his owner? - Bild.de

amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is really sad I feel so bad for the friend. I hope they hold the owner responsible. I know if my dog bites someone I am held responsible. She should of never had a wild animal and giving him drugs was so wrong. She obviously does not know how to take care of a primate. It is ashame that they had to put this wild animal down for doing what wild animals do. I saw a report on this and an animal expert said that chimps in the wild at a certain age try to be the dominate male and will often kill a father or other male to take over. So this is something that is expected to do when they hit a certain age.

I heard that she got to keep the chimp because the laws in that state were made after she already had the chimp.
No one in any state should be allowed to keep wild animals precisely because of things like this. IMHO
I'm sure the owner will be held responsible and I hope she is. This was preventable since the chimp had problems before.
That poor, poor woman. I can't stop thinking about her. I think if it was me I'd rather have just been killed from the attack. I can't imagine how you recover from something like this. God bless her.

When will people learn that wild animals cannot be kept as pets???

Heck, even pet animals can turn on people and attack.

It never ceases to amaze me how stupid/careless people are with/around animals. There are fences in the zoo for a reason but people feel the need to climb them. There are animals the law says you can't keep in your home but people do it anyway.

I feel terrible for the friend. I know this may sound horrible but if her injuries are as bad as I have heard, I almost hope that she just passes away as peacefully as possible instead of having to live thru the horror that will surely result from trying to repair all the damage that has been done.

__________________
Jesus SAVES by shopping smartly and using double coupons!

We had neighbors who kept some sort of moneys when I was little. They smelled and bit. It was quite sad looking back at it. Imagine being so bright and being kept like that? Of course the poor things go nuts and get angry.

Very sad .........

I agree totally with what everyone else has said...Amen! ~Lisa

When will people learn that wild animals cannot be kept as pets???

I think if it was me I'd rather have just been killed from the attack. I can't imagine how you recover from something like this. God bless her.

I hope they hold the owner responsible.

The friend and the chimp are both victims. The owner is completely responsible for this incident. Because of her negligence and stupidity, the chimp is dead and her friend's life is ruined.

No wild animal can ever be a pet, and it doesn't matter how cute or tame the animal is.

I totally agree with everyone here. A sincere prayer to that poor innocent victum. I cannot even imagine the pain and suffering this person had to endure.While I am a huge huge animal lover and a huge animal activist. Anyone who truly thinks they can tame and maintain a wild animal as a home companion is plain sick. I totally feel also the owner should be held responsible on all levels. I also cannot believe that she gave the chimp xanax. Like I said I enormous love for all animals. However bottom line wild animals are mean't to be just that wild and should remain free. Or in a zoo, sadly there are many people who do keep many wild animals as pets. Also I firmly believe any animal or pet has the potential to act out and show violence on different levels.Animals cannot speak and so therefore if frightened or scared, their natural animal instints comes out. However a truly sad horrific story and I pray for that women to heal..Catherine

I am wondering if she even had home owner's insurance. I can't imagine that they would cover her if she had a wild animal living in the home. Of course, if she never told them, she is going to be completely liable for the lawsuit that I am sure will be upcoming in this unfortunate and tragic situation.

I heard them say on the news that in her state, the law was passed that no wild animals, etc., could be kept as pets. They grandfathered her in before/after the law was passed so she was 'legal' in having this animal apparently (what were they thinking?!). Now, did anyone else see the interview the chimp owner gave yesterday about him driving?! Yes, I said driving...I couldn't believe it either. The lady said he was like her son, slept with her in the same bed, ate at the kitchen table, showered with her, and he could even drive. The reporter did a double-take and was like, "He could DRIVE?!" The lady then said, yes he could drive, he stole the car twice and drove away. Something to that affect (I'm not getting it word for word I was too stunned). The reporter was not sure at that point if the lady was really all there/telling the truth or what. Wow was about all I could say. I don't know if she 'meant' for real that the chimp could drive or she was just in shock or is crazy, etc. I saw it with my own eyes or I wouldn't believe it either. It was on late late news last night but I haven't seen this clip since. Maybe they figured out she was delusional and pulled the interview. In the interviews the lady seemed to have more empathy for the chimp than for her friend struggling for her life though. So sad.

Ok, I found a link to this story. It gets even more crazy. Not only could the chimp drive, but he liked to browse the Internet looking at pictures and could channel surf. Here is a link to a story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29255129/

I feel so sorry for that poor woman that was attacked also. I just can't imagine physically living through something like that. I just can't imagine what kind of life she will have if she does survive. Such a horrific story. Whatever happens, I hope the chimp owner and even the state are held responsible. This crazy has got to stop somehow.

I also read that the chimp was trying to get into the police car when it came there. From the interviews and news it doesn't even seem like she feels at all responsible or all that bad about it. I read that she thinks of him as her son and she will miss him. That's just plain sick. Plus the chimp has bitten people before. If that was me I would be way too distraught to even give an interview. What's up with that anyway???

The victim has been transferred to the Cleveland Clinic. This is where the first face transplant done in the US was performed.

Have you heard the entire 911 call (unedited) that includes the emergency response transmissions?

Video

Again while I truly love all animals to me to listen to the video would be very sad and scary and make me nervous. In my paper today it read that the owner and the chimp were so close that they took baths together and slept together in the same bed. In the paper it also has a a picture of the chimp and he has clothes on and has his arm around his owners neck. All in all a truly horrific sad story, it all stated that the chimps mom attacked people and in 2001 it was also killed.The chimp is a wild animal and under no circumstances should this animal have ever been made to be domesticated. Like I said before and as much as I truly truly love animals, even domesticated animals one and all can become voilent and leash out when they fear they are in danger or something is not right. From all the stories concerning this true horror, it appears the chimp was extremely attached to his owner and was used to having his way and loved going for rides in the car. Again though bottom line for anyone who thinks they can tame a wild animal, they cannot , perhaps for awhile not forever.My prayers are for the victum and her recovery which will be so difficult and painful.May God bless her..Catherine

The call is shocking . Over 23 Min's long and at one point a police officer thought it was a man that had been attacked. I'm guessing it was because of her face and I'm sure she was covered with blood so they just didn't know.
The owner is scared to death on that call. I felt sorry for her she didn't know what to do to help her friend she thought she was dead.The Friend I can only hope was in so much shock she didn't really know what was happening to her after the attack I cant imagine having a chimp eating away at me and I'm still alive while its happening. My prayers go out to this lady god knows she will have a long road to recovery.