My Nonprofit Reviews
J Elmer
Review for Primate Rescue Center, Nicholasville, KY, USA
I've been involved with the PRC since 2009 when I started volunteering there. It's a peaceful sanctuary space that is home to many monkeys, several chimpanzees, a dog, goats, and peacocks. The small staff works tirelessly with the help of volunteers and interns not just to provide meals and basic care for the animals but to really make their lives wonderful. I have observed how much thought is put into enrichment and how the staff cater to each resident's needs and preferences. We all hope that one day sanctuaries like the PRC will no longer be needed, but until we humans get our acts together and learn that monkeys and chimps are not pets and have no place in laboratories, I'm grateful that the PRC exists as the best possible place for animals to live out their lives.
Review for Primate Rescue Center, Nicholasville, KY, USA
I was so lucky to volunteer at the Primate Rescue Center in 2009 and 2010 while living in Cincinnati, Ohio. This place is so great that I used to drive two hours and change each way just to spend time there! The caretakers are very committed, and I've seen just how far they can stretch their resources to make sure the monkeys and chimps in their care have all that they need. It's an expensive undertaking to run a center like this, and yet we need more of them across the country. Everyone is firmly committed to educating the public about the fact that monkeys and chimps do not make good pets. That education - and that understanding - are the only ways in which we are ever going to stop the trade in wild animals. For anyone who seeks to understand one of the reasons why a place like Primate Rescue exists, I highly recommend reading _Animal Underworld_ by Alan Green. I live in New England now, but I look forward to visiting the PRC again soon. It's a place that leaves its mark on all who are lucky to be a part of it.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
my volunteer work there. I've seen a baboon found isolated in a garage of a suburban home go from hallow to beautiful. She received the diabetes treatment she so needed after not having seen a vet in approximately 15 years, and she thrived on all the love and attention she got from everyone at the PRC - including all her new monkey friends in nearby enclosures. I've seen the chimps squeal in delight at receiving some of their favorite foods at lunch, and it's clear that they are so happy at the PRC!
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
make it larger. There are many more animals in need than can be housed. There is land to expand on, but enclosures, staff, and upkeep all cost money. It's not cheap to feed a chimpanzee every day! And even the monkeys eat a fair amount each day! All the animals are there for the rest of their lives. This is their "retirement home," and everyone who works there strives to make all their remaining years very happy ones.
