Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest Takes in Seized Chimpanzee Living Alone at West Coast Game Park Safari

CLE ELUM, Wash., June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in Cle Elum, Washington sent a rescue team to the Oregon Coast to relocate a lone chimpanzee from West Coast Game Park Safari on May 15^th and continues to care for him as investigations remain active.

The 21-year-old chimpanzee, George, was the first animal to be removed from West Coast Game Park Safari during a four-day operation that included action and evidence gathering by several branches of law enforcement. 310 animals in total were seized and relocated.

The Bandon, OR safari park received 78 animal welfare citations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the past year alone, noting cases of underfed lions, missing animals, poor sanitation, lack of veterinary care, and the absence of an enrichment program for chimpanzee George.

This is an ongoing story. Since the removal of the animals, the owner of the roadside zoo has been arrested and released on drug-related charges.

Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest's rescue team was able to safely sedate George and transport him to the sanctuary. They applaud the Oregon State Police and the Oregon Humane Society for their dedicated work on this case.

George is currently in quarantine, separate from the other 15 chimpanzees in residence. The sanctuary is not open to the public; however, George's caregivers have been sharing updates about how he is settling into his new environment via the sanctuary's daily blog and other social media.

Co-Direct Diana Goodrich said, "We are grateful to our supporters who have built this sanctuary from the ground up, enabling us to help chimpanzees like George in their time of need. We are delighted by the response to our updates on our blog and other social media from those who live on the Oregon Coast and have met George at the roadside zoo over the years. It's heartening to learn how many people are interested in George's future."

Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest is accredited by the Global Federation of Sanctuaries, which requires adherence to high standards of animal care and nonprofit best practices that help ensure the organization is able to provide for the chimpanzees in both the short and long term. The sanctuary works to raise the standards of primate care, educate the public about the plight of primates, provide a learning experience for student interns interested in sanctuary care, and work via the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance to help place primates in need.

Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest is run entirely by the generosity of individuals and receives no government support.

Related articles:

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/05/21/authorities-seize-hundreds-of-animals-after-search-of-roadside-zoo-in-bandon/

https://www.newsweek.com/over-300-animals-removed-us-safari-after-decade-red-flags-2075450

https://www.kptv.com/2025/05/28/owner-oregon-coast-safari-park-arrested-after-drugs-guns-found-during-investigation/

Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (CSNW) is a non-profit sanctuary in operation since 2008. It is the only chimpanzee sanctuary in the western part of the United States and the only home for chimpanzees in the state of Washington. CSNW provides lifetime quality care for chimpanzees and works to educate the public about the plight of primates worldwide. The chimpanzees at our sanctuary have varied histories that include being captured in the wild, used as biomedical test subjects, and traded within the exotic pet and entertainment industries. CSNW was one of the first primate sanctuaries accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and a founding member of the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance. More information can be found at ChimpsNW.org. Our daily blog is ChimpsNW.org/blog @chimpsanctuary on Facebook and Instagram. A special fundraising page was created to help provide for George: https://chimpsnw.org/?form=George

For media inquiries: Diana Goodrich, Co-Director, Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, [email protected], 509-699-0728 (office)

SOURCE Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest