Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary series crossing all bounds of right and wrong in a way that even leaves us questioning, HBO’s ‘Chimp Crazy’ can only be described as equal parts entertaining and intriguing. That’s because it delves deep into the tale of Tonia Haddix, a registered nurse turned exotic animal trader who lied to the authorities for over a year just to have her primate by her side. This primate was none other than celebrity actor chimp Tonka, who actually once appeared in films like ‘Buddy’ as well as ‘George of the Jungle.’
Tonia Haddix Lied About Tonka Being Dead
In 2020, Tonia Haddix was reportedly ordered to remain well away from the seven chimps under her care at the Missouri Primate Foundation while they were being sedated and taken away, only for there to be six when officials arrived. She was then subsequently directly questioned, which is when she claimed that her loved Tonka, who she loved more than she loved her two children, had sadly died of heart failure mere weeks prior. He’d already reported that he had an enlarged heart, but she wasn’t believed.
That’s because Tonia had already lied to officials previously, and her statements were inconsistent, leading PETA to spend considerable resources in the search for Tonka. Nevertheless, Tonia maintained he’d died on May 20, after which he was cremated by her husband, Jerry, in their backyard when, in reality, he was at one of her friend’s compounds in Ohio. According to her own statements, she brought Tonka back to her place roughly six months later, where he remained in her basement for most of the time, that is, until she told someone her vet had set an appointment to euthanize him owing to his failing health.
Tonka is Now Safe in a Sanctuary
That’s when the documentary crew went to PETA with the proof they had, resulting in them rescuing her on June 5, 2021 – we used rescue because Tonka was actually okay. In fact, according to the PETA assigned veterinarian, he never had any heart condition at all; instead, the only physical issue he had was that he was a little overweight. Therefore, Tonka was transferred to the Chimp Sanctuary in Florida, where he remained in quarantine for 90 days before being integrated into the open.
The only unfortunate thing is that because of Tonia’s actions, he couldn’t be kept at another sanctuary where her other six chimps were taken, including Tonka’s wife Tammy plus their kids. In short, from what we can tell, while Tonka might be missing his family these days, the mid-30-year-oild chimp is now leading a happy, healthy life in the open.
Read More: Jerry Aswegan: Where is Tonia Haddix’s Husband Now?
