Zoo Story Part 3: IMPERFECT LOVE

Herman, king of the chimpanzees at Lowry Park Zoo, has not always lived among his own kind. When he was just a baby, Ed Schultz, an American working in Liberia at the time, found him on sale inside an orange crate and bought him for $25. Ed named the chimp Herman and took him home to his wife Elizabeth and their kids Roger and Sandy. They gave Herman milk from a bottle, taught him to wear a diaper and to eat his fruit at the dinner table. The family adored and pampered him, not having any idea all the ways their love would change him.

What are your thoughts on wild animals being kept as pets in people’s homes? What do you think Herman’s life would have been like if Ed Schultz had not purchased him? If a family you knew were considering bringing a wild animal into their home, what advice would you give them? Click on the COMMENTS blink below to share your views.

Comments

[Wanda]

Chimapanzees are so adorable and cuddley when they are little. I can understand why people would take one home. BUT..., after they get older, they become too strong and independant, and it doesn't work for the chimp or the humans anymore.
From what I have learned chimpanzees that have lived with humans do not adjust very well with other chimps.
It would be better to work in one of the sanctuaries or the zoos if you want to be around chimpanzees.
Right now would be an excellent time to voice our thoughts and help them get out of the labs and into the sanctuaries.....

[Jasmine S.]

Okay, I do think it’s good, then again I don’t, because some animals are not meant to be put in human homes like lions or tigers. And then it’s good, because you have a friend that you could talk to, even though they can’t reply back to you. Also, maybe you and your family know what to do with the type of animal you have. I think Herman would have been put in a zoo, where he doesn’t like it at all! Some advice I would give them is to be careful & to just do what your hearts tell you to do, and if you don’t get a real animal it’s because you don’t need a wild animal.

[Jill m]

Personally I think that if Herman wouldn’t have been purchased by Ed he probably would not have been famous or more importantly a kind and reliable ape. He probably wouldn’t have had a wonderful family and life or a great career. I think that if anyone is willing to buy a wild monkey or any other wild animal they should consider what the needs are for that living thing and what should be done. Seriously if you get a wild animal know what you are doing and don’t just think of it as a joke because you never know … the animal you have loved and adored may one day turn on you.

[Halli]

I think Herman would have died if Ed didn’t purchase him. I think it is ok to have wild animals in your home if they needed to be saved. My advice to anyone I knew who was going to get a wild animal is to make sure you don’t have to leave it alone for long periods of time and to know how to care for it and give the love and attention that it needs.

[mario]

I feel it was bad to treat him like a human because he will act like that in the zoo and think he’s special

[cbass]

I think keeping wild animals as pets is almost as bad as kidnapping a child. If you really love the animal, you would let them live in their own environment.

[mochilaman!]

I think that it is WRONG to have animals locked up. If it was up to me they would be in the wild and then live where they wanted. their being locked up is wrong but it IS the only way to help them. Herman was lucky that he didn’t have to live in captivity. He was corrupted in his thoughts to think he was a human though…

[austins]

I think wild animals shouldn’t be kept in homes because you are taking the animals away from their habitat. It is like someone is taking you away from your home forever and never taking you back. That is how the animal feels when it is taken to your home.

[Tyler]

I think wild animals shouldn’t be kept in homes because you are taking the animals away from their habitat. It is like someone is taking you away from your home forever and never taking you back. That is how the animal feels when it is taken to your home. It just shouldn’t happen.

[lauren b..=]]

I think that it is a bad idea to put wild animals in a home. I also think it is a good idea to put wild animals in a home.
I think it’s a bad idea because the animal won’t get to live the life it was supposed to have and if you think of putting it back in to the wild, they won’t know what to do, or how to keep themselves alive. They will end up dying because they don’t know how to fend for themselves because they are used to living with someone who will give them water and food.
I think it is a good idea because if the animal is hurt or sick, it is a good idea to give them a home and someone to take care of them. If you do keep an animal in your home, it would be a good idea to give them food and water. I think you should never let them out of your house in to the wild because they won’t know how to live.

[shameka ansari]

Herman, king of the chimpanzees at Lowry Park Zoo, should be able to live in people homes. He deserves all of the love and respect that is/was given to him. And I do respect all chimps. I think that they are very smart, intelligent, and friendly. They shouldn’t be treated any differently than an human in fact! I think that they should not be in a zoo. they should have a regular home just like us humans. With a house with “the chimp residents” on the mail box.

[DestinyyLynnee;)]

Herman is a chimpanzee. He is having problems now. He only wants to be attracted with human girls and women. This is very wrong. This is also very unfair to Herman. “How did he get this way?” you ask. Well, Herman was raised by humans. He was treated like a human. He didn’t know any better than to act human. Now, he is messed up for life. It is horrible. No animal should be this confused. It is wrong and I personally HATE it. Ewwwwwww! this is gross. I don’t think it is wrong for animals to live in people’s homes, but I think they shouldn’t have species confusion.

[The Scorpion Deathlock®™ (Abdulla)]

I think that wild animals shouldn’t be kept as pets. You don’t know what’s going to happen. They might just come out of nowhere and attack you for something that you did wrong or for no reason. If Ed Shultz never had purchased Herman, Lowry Park Zoo would never have Herman. Herman’s life would’ve been in the wild if Shultz never purchased Herman. Lucky for Shultz, he did everything correct and Herman didn’t attack for no reason.

[Madison W]

Well in my opinion I think that animals should be kept in the wild. If people bring wild animals into their homes then they are treated a lot differently than they would be treated when they’re on their own!! What’s even worse is that if the people who took the wild animal in can’t take care of it anymore and they put it in the wild, the animal probably wouldn’t make it.  That’s my opinion about bringing wild animals into people’s home!

[Tyler]

I think wild animals shouldn’t be kept in homes because you are taking the animals away from their habitat. It is like someone is taking you away from your home forever and never taking you back. That is how the animal feels when it is taken to your home. It just shouldn’t happen.

[Brian S.]

I think Herman might not have lived this long if he wasn’t brought up by humans. He might have died by now. We would have had some other Chimpanzee leaders, not just Herman.

[Katelyn]

Well, I believe that god decided that animals should live in the wild. Even if they were to die, that’s a part of life. People die and animals die, but that doesn’t mean we should lock animals up so they don’t die. But then again I also believe that it’s a really good thing that we have animals in zoos.

“What do I think of wild animals being kept as pets?”
Anyways let’s get back to the real question this blog is asking.
Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to have a monkey as a pet. But I really never knew that is was bad for them, until now. It changes their whole life. Once they live in a house, they will never be able to go back into the wild. So does that mean people shouldn’t have dogs and cats as pets? No, not exactly, but I think it’s wrong to have animals locked up.
By: Katelyn

[myles b.]

Wild animals should not become pets because that is not their life, and they’re not made to stay in the house and become a pet. Wild animals were born in the wild, and that is where they need to stay. Ok, picture this: you are a wild animal and you were born in the wild. Would you like to be locked up in the house or running wild where are you supposed to be? Let them run wild. BY:Ra’Shauna

[Shawn]

My thoughts about having animals as pets are that I think it is a bad idea because wild animals are dangerous. They can’t be trained. They can turn on you and hurt you. I think they should be kept in the wild or in a zoo, not in a person’s house.

[brennan]

If someone I knew was going to purchase a wild animal as a pet I would probably say yes. Because you never know the situation or condition that that animal might be experiencing in its current living conditions. So if you can provide a better home you should get one.
If ed Shultz would have never purchased Herman he probably would of ended up dead by starvation or killed by the merchant
And the advice I would give the family considering to bring animals in there home would be to take care of it give it a good home and a good .

[Ivan S]

What are your thoughts on wild animals being kept as pets at home? If you ask a guy like me I think it’s a very uncomfortable envoirment for the animals. Like little toddlers and even adults may think it’s cute or cool to have a monkey as a pet. It’s not ok. These animals need freedom just like humans. If it’s your desire to have a wild animal go out and get one... tell me how that goes!!!!
What do you think Herman’s life would have been like if ed Schultz had not purchased him? Uhhh I think his life would have been very different from it is now. He’s a very smart animal and I respect that to the fullest. I think he would have been just like the other animals.
If a family you knew were considering bringing a wild animal into their home, what advice would you give them? Uhh I think it depends what animal you’re bringing… for instance if I wanted to bring Herman to someone’s house, I’d say “he’s not like all chimps, treat him with respect and treat him like he’s human.”

[Robert]

My opinion on animals being kept as pets is okay because we can treat them the way they should be treated and so they don’t suffer and the less will not be dead and we can see all the new abilities if we can teach them. But on the other side is not really okay because there are people who will abuse them really bad and then they might die.

[myles b.]

My opinion on wild animals is that they should not be kept in homes because they lose their instincts and if they are ever released they would not be able to survive on their own. If Ed Schultz had not kept Herman he would probably be happier because he is in his natural habitat and can socialize with other chimps. If I knew a family that was planning on keeping a wild animal I would encourage them no to.

[Alexis]

I think that it is wrong and right to have wild animals as pets. It is wrong because wild animals should be kept in the wild unless there are not a lot left. Then they should be saved and put in zoos so that they can take care of them properly. But it is right if they are saving them. If they are hurt, then they can take care of them until they are better then release them back in to the wild.

I think that if the family had not saved Herman then he could be dead of something bad like that. He got a second chance when most animals don’t. Also if they had not saved Herman then he wouldn’t have made all those friends and that family that loved him and cared for him. They did a good thing by saving him.

If a family that I knew saved a wild animal I would tell them to be careful and that they should give it to a zoo where they can care for it properly, but if that didn’t work then just tell them to take good care of it and give it the love a affection it deserves.

[Sean!]

My thoughts on animals being kept as pets in people’s homes is that it’s okay as long as the animal likes it there and the animal has enough room and has the right food and supplies. I think Herman’s life would have been worse if Ed Shultz hadn’t purchased him because someone else would have bought him and probably tortured him. If a family I knew was bringing a wild animal home, I would tell them to make sure they have the right food and enough space for the animal to play and sleep.