[Rhodes22-list] Help Cleaning the Boat?

[Ronald Lipton]

Escaped Chimp Gets Snack, Cleans Bathroom

By Associated Press
Published January 17, 2007, 4:12 PM CST

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- An escaped chimpanzee at the Little Rock Zoo  
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 yesterday 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.