2023-05-02 15:58:08
By Julien Dubois (Local Journalism Initiative)
The FAUNA foundation currently hosts seven primates in Carignan. The current residents could well be the last as the owners consider retiring.
The Carignan countryside had become their refuge. Since 1997, the FAUNA foundation had taken to collecting chimpanzees and monkeys from zoos or research laboratories. Currently, six chimpanzees and a monkey evolve under the watchful eye of trainers until their extinction, which could well be synonymous with the activity of FAUNA. “It could well be in two or fifteen years, underlines Laurence Levesque, animal attendant for 14 years. Chimpanzees can live a long time. The owners have worked miracles all these years and are about to retire. Will a buyer show up? Because we really live by the gifts. »
“We are fighting to give them the best possible end of life. –Laurence Levesque
Owners and founders Richard Allan and Gloria Grow have created a natural space to house animals. In case of departure, the land will remain their property, the fauna and flora will also be preserved there. “We lost our last beef last year, regrets Laurence Levesque. We still have seven geese left. The employee confides her sadness to see the primate sanctuary, a rarity in Canada, live its last months. “We are fighting to give them the best possible end of life,” continues the attendant. Chimpanzees are between 34 and 56 years old. Normally, they can live between 40 and 60 years, but the experiences they have had may well reduce their life expectancy. »
Not vaccinated against Covid
Like the monkey Newton, 30 years old, today rendered almost blind following experiments on glaucoma, an eye disorder that can cause it to cease. “With today’s technologies, animals in laboratories are optional in order to carry out research or tests, assures Laurence Levesque. But it’s still cheaper. »
The foundation has gone through difficult times in recent years, in particular because of the Covid necessarily, which makes the places prohibited to the public. “Primates are not vaccinated against the virus because we do not know the consequences on their bodies, explains Laurence Levesque. We are still operating under the conditions of the first wave. We know that people mean well but we are not a zoo and the places must remain closed. However, they can adopt a primate through our website. »
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