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Missy in the portrait studio!

October 3, 2014 by Debbie -

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I’ve been trying for awhile to collect images of all the chimps in our “portrait studio” — it’s a spot on a bench in the front rooms right next to the window, which allows for the best lighting and background for close-ups of the chimps.

When the chimps first arrived, they spent a couple days in the front rooms before shifting into the playroom (to ease the transition into a big, expansive room—probably scary after years inside tiny cages) and so many of our photos of the chimps when they first arrived are on that bench. For some of them that was the first time in decades they’d had a chance to look out a window.

Anyway, a few months ago I complied some of the more recent portrait studio photos and compared them to the photos of the chimps from those first few days in sanctuary. The changes are so extraordinary! Missy, however, was absent from that post because we didn’t have a recent photo of her in that spot. She is always on the move and doesn’t sit on the bench long enough for us to grab the camera and get a good close-up. The other day, finally, Katelyn was able to snap a couple of quick photos of her before she jumped off. So, without further ado, I present you with Missy’s before-and-after comparison:

Missy, a couple days after the chimps’ arrival:
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Missy, over six years later:
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10 Comments

  1. Avatar Cheryl on October 3, 2014 at 1:15 pm

    Wow! The eyes tell everything. The coloring changes so much too! Thank you for sharing the comparisons.



  2. Avatar Jordan Bower on October 3, 2014 at 1:47 pm

    Remarkable and heartwarming that she has CSNW. Thank you for sharing your love for the seven with us.



  3. Avatar Jackie on October 3, 2014 at 1:50 pm

    Beautiful! Thank you for taking such good care of the wonderful chimps!



  4. Avatar Julie on October 3, 2014 at 1:51 pm

    Missy looks so much more relaxed now and more engaged. Maybe it’s a lessening of the PTSD they all must have suffered. So glad they’re with you now! Thanks!



  5. Avatar Dalyce Kowalski on October 3, 2014 at 3:41 pm

    Well done you! She looks so much better now – thank you for saving these seven.



  6. Avatar Kathleen on October 3, 2014 at 6:50 pm

    Oh my. What a transformation. With all the chimps transformation the evidence is in their eyes, not just the color change but they now look so lucent and bright. Their skin was pale and yellow, Missy too. She is just so beautiful today! I love the 3rd new photo of her looking outside with that sweet, dreamy look on her face. I am so happy you gave her the chance to find and become her true self.

    Missy, I wish you very long, healthy, happy life!



  7. Avatar Kathleen on October 3, 2014 at 6:53 pm

    Oh my. What a transformation. With all the chimps transformation the evidence is in their eyes, not just the color change but they now look so lucent and bright. Their skin was pale and yellow, Missy too. She is just so beautiful today! I love the 3rd new photo of her looking outside with that sweet, dreamy look on her face. I am so happy you gave her the chance to find and become her true self.

    Missy, I wish you a very long, healthy, happy life!



  8. Avatar Rita Stevenson on October 3, 2014 at 7:37 pm

    Its very interesting how every Chimp Sanctuary has its very own dynamic,
    CSNW is UNIQUE by far,
    the relations and dynamics there are very different than the others,
    then again , its a much smaller group and different set up,
    I love it, I love the CE 7,
    I talk about them allot,
    So many people still have no clue of labs and sanctuary’s,



  9. Avatar Donna Tichenor on October 4, 2014 at 12:03 am

    these pictures are gorgeous!



  10. Avatar Jeani Goodrich on October 4, 2014 at 8:45 am

    What a difference 6years of love, good food, and fresh air can do. Missy’s eyes show us how alive she is now. She is interested in everything. Thank you for all you do.



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