Several years ago I found out about an open house fundraiser for A.P.E.S. near me and I attended with my 4 grandchildren. I was SO impressed by the excellent care these primates are given and how friendly the owner & her family and volunteers were. I felt they were truly caring for and loving these precious creatures. I left that day, but could not forget this HUGE sacrifice that Pamela White & her family give to care for these primates 24/7. I believe God impressed upon my heart to give monthly. A.P.E.S. has become one of my long-time charities that I donate regularly to because it has left an impression on my heart. May God continue to bless Pamela White and her primate family.
I have been a volunteer at A.P.E.S. since October 2019 and it has been one of the most wonderful and rewarding experiences of my life. Not only is it a sanctuary for the primates but a sanctuary for humans. Going there and working with the primates has educated me regarding their care, behavior, diet, health and overall well being. The Gibbons are amazing to observe and interact with. They are extremely happy and I enjoy seeing them play amongst each other but also with their human caregivers. The sanctuary is extremely organized and run with the utmost care. Pam White has done an amazing job creating a sanctuary that the public can come and visit and get to know and experience the primates. Blacklick Ohio has a gem that everyone should visit, from near and far. Sonny, Steffy, Deanna, Shelby, Treavor, Yoda, Malakai and Gabe all love visitors. It is a wonderful experience that you will never forget.
I have been volunteering at APES since 2012. When I first met with Pam I noticed immediately how clean it was, how much room they have, and how happy and healthy they look. I also thought I was going to hate it because of how loud they are. After volunteering here for a few weeks Pam gave me the day off. I was excited because I got a day to myself. The next time I saw them I automatically told them that I loved and missed them so much. I was hooked from then on. I’ve had some amazing experiences here. Timmy was the first one that let me “touch”them. I texted Pam “Timmy let me give him a foot rub!” She replied with “ok”. That’s Pam though if you are not talking to her face to face. I helped sedate Timmy for emergency medical intervention. That was the craziest but also most awesome experience I have ever had in my career. I also stay at the sanctuary when Pam is absent. Let me tell you that is a very stressful but very rewarding experience. I love these guys and could not imagine life without them.
I have been volunteering at A.P.E.S. for almost a year now and it has been a wonderful experience. They take such great steps to make sure that the primates are living their best and happiest lives. The facility is always clean and their is an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables for the primates meals. The owner is wonderful and the volunteers truly care for the well-being of the primates, myself included. I can't say enough good things about this sanctuary.
I am so thankful for my experience at APES. Everyone that volunteers there truly loves and cares about the primates. Pam White works so hard to keep the sanctuary running for her babies (the primates :) ). She cares about her volunteers as if they are her own children as well. If you want to support an animal nonprofit organization, this is the one! :)
I went to a fundraiser for my friend that is a volunteer here. We spent a few hours here and around the facilities. It was really nice to see the primates! They played with each other a lot. We also got to see them eat a bunch of fruit! The facilities were super clean and the owner and her family were very knowledgeable about the primates. I would love to go back!
Volunteering at A.P.E.S. has been an amazing experience that I will take with me my whole life. As a student at OSU studying Anthropology and focusing on primates, learning about primate care and forming relationships with the primates at A.P.E.S. has given me so much and continues to teach me about these animals and myself. These animals are very intelligent and while it takes a while to earn their trust, once they accept you into the group it is a feeling like no other. Stephanie, a gibbon ape and the oldest primate at A.P.E.S. took 17 months of me volunteering there to open up to me, but it was well worth the wait. I love volunteering here and I would recommend it to anyone interested in wildlife care, zoology, primatology or anthropology.
I started volunteering at APES in my last year of school at The Ohio State University, and stayed for a year before getting an opportunity to intern at Zoo Atlanta in 2014. I was a zoology major and I had the problem that many aspiring zookeepers have: I couldn't get an opportunity at any zoo without experience, but there was nowhere to get that initial exotic animal experience. I am grateful to APES for providing me with that experience. The owner, Pam, and her husband, Don, are some of the most dedicated and caring people I have had the pleasure of knowing. She trusts her volunteers with so much. She constantly provides us with support and knowledge, but is always willing to learn from us and grow herself. Her and her primates have given me memories that I will never forget and often miss. It is a small, quality sanctuary, that provides an exciting and educational experience for college students, animal lovers, and the community.
I volunteered at APES in college as an anthropology major specializing in primates. I learned more about primate behavior here than I did in any of my classes. The sanctuary is an incredible resource for students and educators, as well as a safe haven for primates who were acquired as pets by owners who could no longer keep them in their homes.
My daughter has been volunteering at A.P.E.S for a couple of years now. She is going into Wildlife Management at college and by being a volunteer here she has learned and experienced so much to help her with her goals. The sanctuary is exceptionally taken care of and Pam (the owner) cares for the primates like they were her children. I am truly impressed by the care the whole orginization gives to these animals. They are truly blessed to have Pam and the volunteers giving them so much love and attention.
Having the opportunity to be a part of this organization has tremendously impacted my life. I am growing as a student and learning to understand each primate’s mannerisms. This has given me an incredible insight into such a complex species. I progress with each interaction, from enrichment to general handling. They have given me a priceless experience and continue to challenge and surprise me. Beyond the interaction with ten Gibbions and two Capuchin monkeys, I am witness to the care and passion from every person involved. From the volunteers to the owner, Pam White, A.P.E.S. creates a warm and welcoming escape. If you are ever in the Blacklick area, and are interested in learning about these fascinating animals, there will always be a friendly face to greet you.
APES is a wonderful facility that provides a fun and loving home for gibbons and Capuchin monkeys. I worked there as a volunteer and I was amazed by the caring and attentive staff. The animals are well cared for and loved, and Pam the owner has done an amazing job teaching the community about her primates.
What a great organization to provide a happy and safe home to these animals - the facility is clean and bright and the animals are happy and engaged. Very engaged w/ the local community. One of the good ones....
APES has been a wonderful experience for me. I knew when I started I would enjoy volunteering, but I have grown to love it dearly. The primates are amazing to watch and learn from, and Pam the owner is great. She works so hard to keep the sanctuary running and her passion for the animals is inspiring. Volunteering at APES is one of the very beat choices I have ever made.
It's been over a year since I wrote my first review on APES, and my feelings have only deepened. Pam, the owner, really dedicates her life to maintaining the facility and making sure the primates are all healthy and happy. Even though she has been really struggling financially, she still finds a way to make ends meet and gives the animals the best possible life they could have being in captivity. Just visiting the sanctuary once, you'll see the love and dedication this woman has for her animals. Hands down, an amazing facility.
Probably one of the most well run private animal sanctuary I have ever visited. This compound is clean and well maintained and offers unparallelled education into he world of primate to both college students majoring in animal behavior as well as the general public. Highly deserving of any accolades possible.
I started volunteering at this sanctuary at the beginning of this past summer. I love volunteering here and Pam has done an amazing job at making a great place for the primates. I have learned so much and hope to continue learning throughout my time volunteering.
I have gone to the annual A.P.E.S. fundraisers every summer for the past three years. It is a very family friendly event and you can see all of the primates! Pam does an awesome job caring for these endangered animals, they are truly her babies. The sanctuary offers frequent enrichment for the primates and share photos of these experiences on Facebook. Overall it is a really great place to visit.
I have been a volunteer at APES since April of 2012, and I've benefitted greatly from the experience both personally and professionally. I assist in caring for the ten gibbons and two capuchin monkeys on site, helping with feeding, cleaning and enrichment activities. The owner, Pam White, entrusts her volunteers with great responsibility, which offers college students like myself a very valuable learning opportunity. APES also works to educate its visitors on primate care so they can better understand these animals. Everything done at APES is solely for the betterment of the primates, and it is evident through Pam's unwavering dedication that APES is an organization filled with love and compassion.
I first heard about the American Primate Educational Sanctuary, APES, about two years ago from a club in school. I fell in love with it the first time I went to volunteer. The owner is the most dedicated person I have ever met. No matter what she does the primates are always on her mind and she works so hard to keep the place running and the primates happy. She constantly is looking to improve the sanctuary and enrich the primates lives. APES raises awareness on the issue of owning exotic pets, as many of the primates were rescued from owners. I am so happy I found APES. It has really changed my life and helping me decide what I want to do with my life, and the owner is always helping out volunteers in their careers whenever she can.
I visited the sanctuary for the first time on November 5, 2012. The owner and all the volunteers are doing such an outstanding job. You can tell taking care of the primates is their number 1 priority. The primates are happy and healthy. I am very thankful for the owner giving my son Justin the opportunity to do his internship at the sanctuary. He enjoys his time there and has learn so much knowledge about the primates. The owner is so dedicated to what she believes in and taken care of them means everything to her. When I visited there on Sunday I took some food for the primates to help feed them and the owner was so appreciative. It made me feel like I was making a differnece and will continue to support what they do and will visit them again soon.
i have been a volunteer at the American Primate Edcational Sanctuary for a little over a year and a half now. The owner houses 10 White-Handed Gibbons which are going extinct in the wild. She really cares about conserving Gibbons and educating people about Gibbons. She strives to help college students gain hands on experience for their future careers as well as teaching people about the dangers of buying primates as pets. Most of the primates she houses she has rescued from private owners. Overall, this facility has far succeeded my expectations. It is well kept and well taken care of and the owner really cares about helping out these Gibbons and other primates as well.