Dallas woman fills role as monkeys’ foster mom
Published: November 25, 2005
The “Welcome to the Jungle” sign that hangs in front of Polly Schultz’s house has a whole new meaning here.
Monkeys screech as they jump on playground equipment, crawl through a door into her living room to watch TV and demand love as people walk by their cages.
Ten monkeys — nine Java macaques and one Patas — need hours of attention, puzzles and toys to keep their brains active, and daily feedings and cage cleanings. [The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates]
But Schultz doesn’t do the bulk of this work — plus a full-time job as an animal-control officer — because she loves the chaos.
She does it because she can’t stand the idea of these animals suffering from neglect. Most were pets — bought by people with good intentions but ignorant about the needs of wild animals.
“It just seems like such an important thing, and so many people don’t know the mess we’ve put these guys in,” Schultz said.
She has operated the nonprofit Oregon Primate Rescue since 1998 but has cared for abandoned pet monkeys for the past nine years.
Her goal is to expand her facilities so that Oregon Primate Rescue is the largest private rehabilitation center for monkeys in the country. She is seeking a larger plot of land and has several federal grant proposals under consideration.
She knows that there is no lack of need.
“It is unbelievable,” Schultz said. “We have placed between 40 and 50 monkeys in other sanctuaries because we were all full at the time.”
Schultz turns down dozens of pleas for help monthly from around the world. And even though she doesn’t know how many pet monkeys live in Oregon, she knows that most don’t have permits.
“For every one that has a permit, there are probably 50 without,” Schultz said.
People can get exotic-pet permits from the Oregon Department of Agriculture or its federal counterpart. [Exotic Pets : Practical Pet Care Handbook]
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