2010  Remembering the One's we Loved!

Written by:  Lisa Whiteaker

KODEE

Kodee, a beloved monkey whom touched many hearts.  His face melted many people whom entered his life, for the ones he choose to be with him.  He was owned by Bobbie, lived in Arizona.  I personally remember the day I got to deliver Kodee to Bobbie, he was only 3 weeks old, that was 13 years ago.  Kodee was bobbies world, we watched this delicate , but strong minded monkey go through many challenges in his life.  Kodee almost left us a few years ago due to an enlarged adrenal gland, monkeys can live with one adrenal gland, but they can not live without one.  A few years later Kodee was diagnosed with cushions disease, he struggled, and was sick many times, but he held on until his body could not fight it any longer.  Kodee is missed by so many people including myself, as we shared many moments together, we were family, and we will always be. 

I love you Kodee, you are missed dearly, Aunt Lisa

What is a New World and Old World Serology Screen???

A New world and Old World Serology Screen is the most important factor to every single owner that buys a primate!  Today this is a huge issue, which has not been explained properly and I would like to take the time to tell you why it is important and what can happen if you don't.  For every individual whom buys a primate, from the moment you place that tiny baby or juvenile, and adult into your home, did you know that it is not safe around anyone?  A breeder is NOT going to tell you that you need this testing, why??  Because USDA never made it a requirement.  An New world and Old World Serology Screen tests for everything, Herpes, Hepatitis A, B, Tamarinus, Samarius, everything that a Non-Human primate could carry.  Many primates are still being imported today, even inner breeding is still a huge problem.  In all my life this has been a major factor which I will never understand why this has not been a priority to ALL!  Recently, a women called me as she wanted to learn more about her monkey, so I placed her in one of the Juvenile programs as she had a two year old female weeper capuchin. In one of our conversations I had explained to her in all the two years she has had her that her monkey was not even safe to be in her home.  Last week she had her monkey tested, the whole serology testing screen.  Reality took place, this monkey was positive throughout the whole serology screen.  An individual can not live with a primate whom tested positive on their serology screen, the monkey named "Sahara" had to be put to sleep.  Not only does it stop here, the owner MUST contact the breeder and notify what has happened and if she has the parents there, they have to be tested and if they are positive they will have to be put to sleep as well, if the breeder was a broker things get more complicated as the outside breeder will have to be notified and her monkeys will have to be tested as well and so forth down the line.  This monkey did not have to die!  If USDA placed proper protocol ON THESE BREEDERS and made sure their primates they brought in were tested this would of never happen.  Sahara is NOT the only monkey that was and has been positive, there are several whom have died and keep dying. When will they become responsible for their own actions???

Sahara you will be in our thoughts, one day they too will be responsible.