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Moe, the 42-year-old chimpanzee that escaped from Jungle Exotics in Devore over the weekend, was under the care of an animal trainer who was sued for animal cruelty and later barred from working with chimps in a December 2006 settlement, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
In a letter received by LAist, ALDF representative Lisa Franzetta explained:
Moe was living at Jungle Exotics, which is the location of Amazing Animal Productions. Amazing Animal Productions is owned by an animal trainer named Sid Yost, who was sued by ALDF back in 2005 for repeatedly beating and abusing the chimpanzees he rented out for Hollywood appearances. According to the terms of the settlement in that lawsuit, reached in Dec. 2006, Yost’s chimpanzees would be sent to live in sanctuaries, and Yost is barred from ever again working with great apes (which includes chimpanzees) in any capacity. Thus, it is our understanding that Yost was in violation of our legal settlement, and that, as a tragic result, Moe’s substandard caretaking resulted in his escape.
The ALDF and chimp-rights activist Sarah Baeckler (who went undercover as a "volunteer" for Yost in 2002) sued Yost again earlier this year alleging that he had been training chimpanzees in violation of the settlement. The ALDF had no idea that Yost was working with Moe at Jungle Exotics before reading news coverage of his escape, according to Franzetta.
Moe's owners, LaDonna and St. James Davis asked the public to help search for Moe (but not so approach him) and he is believed to be loose in the San Bernardino National Forest.
LAist's calls to Jungle Exotics and Amazing Animal Productions were not returned.
photo via CareerBuilder.com's Monkey Business ad.
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I hate every ape I see,
From chimpan-A to chimpan-Z.
No you'll never make a monkey out of me!
Oh my god, I was wrong.
It was Earth all along.
You finally made a monkey
Yes, we finally made a monkey
Yes, you finally made a monkey out of me!
I love you Moe.!
Well, the only good thing about this story is that now Moe won't go back to where he was, one hopes. And he's started a trend:
I'm still holding out hope for Moe's safe return, but I'm beginning to think the alleged "escape" is a decoy and that foul play befell the poor chimpanzee.
Oh man, Will, that would be horrible if so -- especially with the TV media playing this up as some cutesy, innocent, "couch monkey" story.
This is in response to Lisa Franzetta with Animal Legal Defense Fund and her unsubstantiated letter. Lisa I am dear friend of the Davis's. I went to see Moe on his 42 birthday with the Davis's. In fact my contractor and I donated our time to pour the pad that Moe's cage is on. I know of Sid Yost and his situation. I am no friend of his and know of his dealings. Moe is not under his care he is under Joe Camp's care. I know Joe use to have coffee with Moe every morning and he genuinely cares for Moe. You're doing no service to Moe or the Davis's calamity here... your lack of knowledge does a diservice to those who do genuinely care for animals. The Davis's' extraordinary journey with their beloved son Moe goes beyond your scope of understanding. It would benefit the animal kingdom far greater if your attention was directed to helping rather than taking a press opportunity to put your name out there for self serving reasons. I can't believe this is just a case of ignorance. If you truely do represent the ALDF shame on them...Shame on you.