Sandra Herold, the owner of a 200-pound chimpanzee that mauled a woman, begged police to shoot the animal in a 911 call, crying that her beloved pet was killing her friend. The chimp, named Travis, also tried to attack police when they arrived, but officers fatally shot him. The woman who was attacked, Charla Nash, is hospitalized in critical condition, with "life-altering" injuries to her face and hands.
Travis was a well-trained pet who could eat at the table, drink wine from a stemmed glass, use the toilet, and dress and bathe himself. He brushed his teeth with a Water Pik, logged on to a computer to look at photos and channel-surfed television with the remote control.
Police said that Travis was agitated earlier in the day and that his Herold had given him the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in some tea. Police said the drug had not been prescribed for the 14-year-old chimp. In humans, Xanax can cause memory loss, lack of coordination, reduced sex drive and other side effects. It can also cause aggression.