Naman Shrestha
HBO’s ‘Chimp Crazy’ is a docuseries that focuses mainly on Tonia Haddix and her rivalry with PETA. With the aim to keep her chimpanzee Tonka out of PETA’s reach, she went to certain lengths, including faking his death. However, she could not have done it alone; she needed the help of Cyril “Cy” Vierstra, who kept Tonka hidden from the world for several months. Given his important role in Tonia’s quest, it is natural for questions to arise about Cyril.
Cyril “Cy” Vierstra Was Once a Fiscal Officer and the Owner of a Zoo
Born on April 30, 1980, Cyril S. “Cy” Vierstra was passionate about animals from a young age. Following his passion, Cyril went on to become the owner of the roadside zoo Union Ridge Wildlife Center in Wilkesville, Ohio. On the premises, he sheltered different kinds of animals, including tigers, spider monkeys, birds of prey, capuchins, chimpanzees, cranes, and more. At some point in his life, he was also a fiscal officer for Vinton Township in Vinton County. Everything seemed to be going fine until the year 2017, which proved to be quite difficult in his life. He officially changed his name from Cyril S. Vierstra to Cy and had a run-in with the law.
When the authorities reviewed his bank records, they came across several questionable transactions from January 2016 to July 2020. According to reports, he misused township debit and credit cards to fund renovations at his residence and various expenses at the Union Ridge Wildlife Center. In an attempt to evade the law and hide his activities, such as debit card transactions worth more than $127,000 on an online auction website, he resorted to creating billing slips, fake invoices, and other counterfeit documents. He had purchased multiple extravagant items, including a video game system, a dishwasher, a drone, an above-ground pool, pressure washers, a gazebo, a snow cone machine, a popcorn cart, a CPR manikin, telescopes, and more.
Cyril “Cy” Vierstra Assisted Tonia Haddix in Hiding Her Chimp
Amidst all this commotion in his life, in 2021, Cyril agreed to help Tonia Haddix hide her chimpanzee named Tonka for a few months and prevent PETA from taking him to a sanctuary. He even took to social media to express his views on the situation. He wrote, “When the privacy of an animal in ‘sanctuary’ is destroyed with a one-sided story intentionally designed to solicit cash money, that’s exploitation at its finest! As well, IF the sanctuary was in need of your help, before, and needs your help now more than ever…then responsible boundaries were crossed. What happens if no one helps???”
He elaborated, “The sanctuary indicates Tonka ‘will receive the best care and actually have the basic freedoms that he deserves.’ WHO decided what “the best care” looks like when the sanctuary WAS NOT even expecting the animal just days before…and has NO knowledge or experience to what brings the animal, as an individual with his own, unique personality, family, familiar faces, familiar voices, and expectations for what he enjoys most. BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER!”
In 2019, he was also accused of something similar. He allegedly boarded three monkeys for a private owner and faked their deaths. The self-proclaimed licensed social worker and wildlife rehabilitator, Cyril, resided in Wilkesville in October 2021 when he was indicted on 12 felonies and one misdemeanor for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from his town and using the money for his benefits.
Cyril “Cy” Vierstra is Incarcerated on Embezzlement Charges
In October 2022, Cyril “Cy” Vierstra pleaded guilty to the charges against him, which included engaging in corrupt activity, tampering with records, theft in office, and a misdemeanor count of dereliction of duty. A few months later, on February 4, 2023, the owner of Union Ridge Wildlife Center was sentenced to four years and 11 months in prison. Apart from receiving the imprisonment sentence, Cyril was also ordered to pay around $340,000 in restitution, which covered the funds that he had stolen.
Following his sentencing, he also reportedly agreed to rehome the animals from his roadside zoo. For instance, four chimpanzees were transferred from the Union Ridge Wildlife Center to Save the Chimps sanctuary. Moreover, instead of letting someone else take over, he decided to officially close the roadside zoo. At the moment, this former fiscal officer for Vinton Township is serving his sentence behind bars at Belmont Correctional Institution in St. Clairsville, Ohio. When it comes to his parole eligibility date or expected release date, it is scheduled for October 2027.
Read More: Jerry Aswegan: Where is Tonia Haddix’s Husband Now?
