A Soapbox for Becca

I am sure by now that most everyone out there has read this story - the one about the pet chimpanzee Travis that 'randomly' attacked a friend of his owner. And if not, you should read up on it.

Stories like this one really boil my blood. And I'm not going to go all 'P.E.T.A' on you. At least not to the point of throwing fake blood on your fur coat. But this situation really does make me sad in so many regards.

-Obviously, there is a great deal of sympathy and concern for the human victim in the attack. Her life will clearly never be the same again, and that is assuming that she makes a recovery at all from the attack. On top of the physical disfiguration that she will have to deal with, she will undoubtedly deal with emotional trauma for years to come as well. Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to wondering if she will ever have a friendship with Travis's owner again or not.

-Additionally, it is very unfortunate and unfair that the chimp himself had to pay for this situation with his life. We will never know what exactly triggered him to act so savagely towards the victim, but I hope that people can realize that it should not come as a surprise. Even after being raised by a human and socialized around many people, Travis still had instincts that could not and would not be masked. From a psychological standpoint, the 'nature vs. nurture' argument can be addressed. In other words, was Travis's personality and behavior most influenced by the circumstances he was raised in, or the innate tendencies he was born with? From what I have found, it is almost always a combination of the two. This applies not only to animals of all kinds, but humans as well. So, while Travis was a 'pet' who knew little more than living among humans and even behaving like one, he was still a monkey at the end of the day. And I believe his actions were those of a wild animal - not random, not unpredictable, but purely instinctual, whether that was for protective reasons, territorial reasons, etc.

-Finally, I truly feel sympathy for the woman who owned Travis as well. It is so easy for the media to portray her as some kind of idiot or lunatic. While I believe that it was not wise to keep a chimpanzee for a pet, reports on the news opened my eyes to elements of her personal life. She lived alone, craving companionship and desiring to nurture someone. That is a natural desire, especially for a woman. So, Travis was treated like a human. He ate human food, slept in a human bed, and undoubtedly was thought of as this woman's baby. And, while I fully support having a pet for companionship (Gabe has been a lifesaver for me over the past year and a half), a wild animal is such a poor choice for that companionship. It's easy to see how she envisioned a chimpanzee as the perfect solution - they are very similar to humans in appearance and even in their intelligence. Without having to commit to a human being as a spouse or a parent, she was able to pour into a being and receive affection in return. But that would never be enough for Travis. We as people often trick ourselves into thinking that love is all that an animal needs to thrive. As a wild animal in particular, Travis needed an environment and lifestyle more similar to what he would naturally have in the wild - even if he never experienced it since the age of three weeks. In a way, his owner loved him to death - literally.

I guess part of the reason that I feel so connected to this case is because of how, at dog training school, my eyes were opened more than ever to the relationships people have with their pets. Anyone who knows me is aware that I have always loved my dogs VERY much and will undoubtedly continue to do so throughout my life. And there is nothing wrong with that - at least to a certain point. Dogs have been domesticated obviously, and they thrive living in our homes because of their desire to be pack animals. I marvel at the bond man has with dogs daily. But you might be shocked to learn about how many dog behavioral issues stem from the irresponsibility or simple lack of knowledge of the dog owner. A dog may love sleeping in the bed, being fed treats, and being showered with affection. And I am not opposed to those things! But dogs also need discipline and a clear leadership from their master. It is such a huge part of why training is so beneficial to the relationship and respect a dog has with its owner.

One reason that I think Dog Whisperer Cesar Milan is so successful in this country is because it his priority to provide what dogs truly need and not what many of us think they need. His model is this - exercise, discipline, and then affection - in that order. It is what makes the most sense for a dog naturally in the wild. But, many people have a very difficult time straying from the common American model of affection, affection, a little bit of exercise, and maybe some discipline. In some extreme cases, the outcome can be the same as what happened with Travis - loving a dog to death.

I don't really know where I am going with all of this. It's just a topic I am passionate about, I suppose. And a big part of the reason that I want to train dogs is to help reduce the number of situations out there that pose a risk to a potential victim, dog, and dog-owner. So...does anyone know Cesar Milan and want to introduce us???