Bob,
That was exactly my thought when I read the article and caught the snippet on television this morning.

I'm still trying to figure out why there are no laws preventing people to keep a chimpanzee as a "pet." We're not talking about a Capuchin monkey here. We're talking about a critter with incredible strength, and a propensity to be mean little bastard.

This reminds me of the Chris Rock joke from a few years ago about when one of Siegfried and Roy was attacked by their tiger, and everyone was blaming the tiger, saying the tiger went crazy. That tiger didn't go crazy, that tiger went tiger!

Bob...you once told me that anything with chimps in it was funny....thanks to you I saw this article and started to giggle much to my chagrin....now I can say I laughed at some poor woman getting her hands eaten and face ripped off by a chimp.

^ to continue Tim's shame,

I hate to write this, but...

When MSNBC discussed this event this morning they followed it with, "also, why is Dick Cheney fuming mad at former president Bush?"
I muttered, "well, according to news reports he nearly killed a woman in Connecticut."

Actually, the reason why is mad is much more shameful than that "joke": the chimp refused to issue a full pardon to Scooter Libby.
HORROR!

All animals (including domestic ones) act in their own self interest, period.

Never trust Mother Nature. She is one sly bitch, and will take you out without even asking your name.

(I say this as an avid nature lover.)

That's from The Onion right? Please say it's true. Or at least lie to me.

The line I’m having such trouble with is “The chimpanzee, considered a fixture in the north Stamford community…”

For some reason this immediately starts an old-timey black and white 8mm Home Movie reel running in my mind’s eye, complete with Gear-and-Tooth Projector Sound, and suddenly I’m watching this:

EXT. IDYLLIC CONNECTICUT NEIGHBORHOOD – MORNING

TIMMY, a little boy of 7, and DARLA, 5, sit at a sun-drenched lemonade stand on an early summer day. DARLA waves cheerfully into the camera as TIMMY pulls faces over her head, then pretends to pour lemonade on his little sister.

V.O. – GENERIC CLASSIC 50s SCHOOL FILMSTRIP HONKY NARRATOR

What’s this? Why, it’s Timmy and Darla Johnson of Rockrimmond Road! Hey, kids! How’s business? That’s swell! Ah, here comes a thirsty customer now! Careful, Timmy, don’t take any wooden nickels!

TIMMY and DARLA laugh, then blanch visibly as TRAVIS, a 200-pound chimpanzee, capers up to their lemonade stand clutching a shiny new quarter. The monkey bangs his hands enthusiastically on the counter and DARLA gives a little squeal of terror.

V.O. – GENERIC CLASSIC 50s SCHOOL FILMSTRIP HONKY NARRATOR

Why look everybody, it’s Travis! Looks like Travis needs some lemonade, Darla! Pour him an ice cold cup, would you? That’s right! But not too sweet, now, sugar makes Travis very agitated!

DARLA gives the camera a nervous glance, trying to smile through her terror, then hands Travis a Dixie Cup of juice. TRAVIS throws the quarter at TIMMY, who is suddenly paralyzed with fear.

V.O. – GENERIC CLASSIC 50s SCHOOL FILMSTRIP HONKY NARRATOR

Hey, Timmy! Better not lose that quarter, fella, times are tough! Now let’s see if Travis enjoys his delicious, homemade treat. Whaddaya say, Travis?

TRAVIS downs the lemonade in one gulp while TIMMY and DARLA watch with horrified anticipation. TRAVIS smacks his lips a few times, takes an enormous bite out of the Dixie Cup, then promptly hurls himself into an animalistic berserker’s rage.

V.O. – GENERIC CLASSIC 50s SCHOOL FILMSTRIP HONKY NARRATOR

Oh, Darla! I told you not to make that lemonade too sweet, sugar really does upset Travis! Too much sugar just isn’t good for a domesticated animal that can rip off your…now, Travis! Travis, put her down! Travis, stop smashing that glass pitcher over Darla’s head! Oh, Travis, you’re incorrigible! Timmy, for heaven’s sake, boy, pull Darla’s foot out of Travis’s mouth! Timmy!

O.S. – MOTHER starts to scream frantically. Camera swings to see a woman in high heels and an apron hurling herself from a white clapboard house, waving a Hoover carpet attachment over her head.

This reminds me a report I saw a few years ago on 60 Minutes about people in Texas (of course) who own big cats like lions and tigers. One family let their lion sleep in the same room with their daughter. Of course, the lion attacked and killed their daughter. The mother actually expressed surprise that this predictably tragic event occurred. People who don't understand that large undomesticated animals are not house pets shouldn't have been allowed to breed in the first place.

My thoughts exactly. And for some reason, watching the video from a few years back the chimp was blocking traffic(think that's what they said), watching his facial expressions and movements, I kept flashing back to Planet of the Apes movies. I thought of how warped the mind of that chimp may have become due to years of not being allowed to live like what he is, a chimpanzee.

The shame here is a visitor, not the owner of the 200 pound wild animal, was injured.

a CNN commentator made a good point about the impossibility of ever truly domesticating a wild animal, no matter how much you want it to to be domesticated

These stories always kill me. Why are "owners" of wild animals surprised when these things happen? I feel so bad for the woman who was attacked.

I have horses and when I teach my grandchildren about grooming and handling them I always emphasis that you should never let your guard down. They are animals and they have a mind of their own. Bad things can happen. People get sloppy and comfortable and that is when things can go wrong.

This story in no way compares to this horrible attack but is an example of what I said above. I had a big black thoroughbred mare for many years and she was 25 when she was tied up and I walked behind her. She had never kicked before but that day she cowkicked behind her and missed my knee by a half inch (I felt the breeze on my pants as her hoof passed by) I was so lucky that day to not have suffered a shattered knee etc...

I am an animal lover but people have to remember weather it's your dog, horse whatever ...they are "animals".

Here in England were not allowed to keep such animals without a wild animal license and to get one of those you must have facilities like fort knox, when will people understand a humans love for a wild animal doesnt make it less wild or more predictable. whatever the the animal is it must live how nature intended, even a pet dog or cat doesnt lose their natural hunting instinct.

I hope this incident, finally, stirs up some serious lawmaking which ends, completely, once and for all, the ability of human beings in the USA to keep Chimps, and other dangerous animals, from being house-pets, period.

P.S. When I say period, I mean, without any exceptions. For example, "in a cage in the back yard" would not be an "exception".

Please let this poor woman die. I would not want to live after losing both of my eyes, my nose, my jaw, and both hands. Saving a life at all costs is WRONG.