Judy the Housecleaning Chimp

[Teasing the Korean]

Escaped Chimpanzee Raids Fridge, Does A Little Housework

Rhonda Erskine, Online Content Producer

Last Updated: 1/17/2007 2:04:03 PM

An escaped chimpanzee at the Little Rock Zoo in Arkansas raided a kitchen cupboard and did a little cleaning with a toilet brush before sedatives knocked her out on top of a refrigerator.

The 120-pound primate, Judy, escaped Tuesday into a service area when a zookeeper opened a door to her sleeping quarters, unaware the animal was still inside.

As keepers tried to woo Judy back into her cage, she rummaged through a refrigerator where chimp snacks are stored. She opened kitchen cupboards, pulled out juice and soft drinks and took a swig from bottles she managed to open.

Keeper Ann Rademacher says Judy went into the bathroom, picked up a toilet brush and cleaned the toilet. Rademacher says the 37-year-old Judy was a house pet before the zoo acquired her in 1988, so she may have been familiar with housekeeping chores. Judy wrung out a sponge and scrubbed down the fridge.

It took a couple of tries, but the zoo sedated the chimp, who fell asleep on top of the refrigerator with half a loaf of cinnamon-raisin bread she had pulled out of the freezer.

The zoo veterinarian gave Judy a drug to bring her around. Rademacher says Judy was groggy but fine after the episode.

The zoo says there was no danger Judy would get out of the primate keepers service area and onto zoo grounds.

(Copyright Associated Press, All Rights Reserved)

©2007 WCSH6.com/Gannett Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Edited March 2, 2007 by Teasing the Korean

[rachel]

Judy wrung out a sponge and scrubbed down the fridge.

[Jazzmoose]

Uh...can I hire this animal?

[Dan Gould]

Judy wrung out a sponge and scrubbed down the fridge.

Judy the chimp wrings out the sponge but my wife won't.

Would I be taking my life into my hands if I were to point this out to her? (My wife I mean, not Judy the chimp).