Thirteen chimpanzees live on a small farm in the Canadian countryside. Retired from the infamous laboratories where they were abused for decades, their home is now an idyllic, somewhat rowdy establishment called Fauna Sanctuary.
Andrew Westoll spent months at Fauna Sanctuary as a volunteer and vividly recounts his time in the chimphouse and the histories of its residents. Gradually the chimps begin to warm toward Westoll as he learns the routines of their lives. Seemingly simple things, like grooming, building alliances and playing tickle-chase, are all poignant testament to the capacity of these animals to heal.
Brimming with empathy, The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary is an absorbing, big-hearted book that grapples with questions of just what we owe to the animals who are our nearest genetic relations.