NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — A recent documentary on HBO follows a Missouri woman whose love for chimpanzees turns into a game of cat and mouse with law enforcement and animal rights groups. “Crazy Chimp” is from the makers of “Tiger King,” and it details people who own primates as pets, breed them and the dangers associated with it.

What You Need To Know

  • The Primate Rescue Center in Jessamine County is home to eight chimpanzees and over 30 monkeys 

  • Animals at the sanctuary have been rescued from laboratories, private owners/breeders and even drug operations 

  • Leaders of the sanctuary hope viewers of "Chimp Crazy" on HBO take away the seriousness of the dangers of private chimp ownership 

  • It is illegal in Kentucky for members of the public to own primates

However, one sanctuary home to various primates in Central Kentucky said between the show’s cast of cooky subjects persists a real problem, private primate ownership.

Nestled in the woods of Jessamine County; a 30-acre sanctuary is home to eight chimpanzees and over 30 monkeys at the Primate Rescue Center. It was founded over 30 years ago after the founders bought a long-tailed macaque but soon realized they were in over their heads.

Executive director Eileen Dallaire said the Primate Rescue Center staff is trained to work with primates and can give the chimpanzees and various species of monkeys the care they need.

“We are able to provide that lifetime care to primates who have been kept as pets, who have been used in biomedical research or the entertainment industry,” Dallaire said.

Dallaire started working at the sanctuary over 20 years ago. In 2017, she became the executive director. Dallaire said they rescue primates from across the country.

“When we’re operating with laws that are state-by-state rather than a national law, it creates a lot of confusion,” Dallaire said.

“Chimp Crazy” details a Missouri woman’s love for chimpanzees as an exotic animal broker and owner and others who own primates. It also delves into People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and other animal rights activists’ pursuit of a nationwide law banning primate ownership. 

It is illegal in Kentucky for people to own primates.

From the makers of “Tiger King,” Dallaire hopes viewers take away the seriousness of the issue.

“When dangerous, smart and capable animals are kept in situations that are not appropriate for them, it’s not only dangerous for that primate but for the people in the area,” Dallaire said.

The Primate Rescue Center has been operating for over 25 years. The animals here come from private owners, breeders, laboratories and even drug operations. Long story short, they could not survive on their own in the wild.

“We don’t breed any of the primates, we don’t sell any of the primates, so when they come here to the rescue center, they live out the rest of their life here with us,” Dallaire said.

The sanctuary is not open to the public except one day a year for “member” level donors. But their ultimate goal is to one day go out of business.

“That’s our hope; is to have a world where there is no need for sanctuaries to care for primates and provide them lifetime care. That means that primates are in their natural environments and not in places that require facilities like ours,” Dallaire said.

According to its website, the Primate Rescue Center is an accredited nonprofit by the Better Business Bureau and other third-party organizations. It receives no funding from the state of Kentucky or federal governments.

An open records request to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife found the Primate Rescue Center has had no complaints or investigations conducted against them.

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