Betty, Dublin Zoo’s longest resident and oldest chimp in human care, dead at 62 — rest in peace

Betty, the chimpanzee that had been at the Dublin Zoo for the longest and the oldest living chimp under human care, passed away last week at the age of 62. She was one of the zoo’s most cherished and well-known inmates.

A zoo blog article claims that Betty had age-related ailments that were impairing her quality of life, and the tough choice to end her life was made to spare her from suffering in the future.

Although it is heartbreaking to lose Betty, she enjoyed a lengthy life that exceeded the average lifespan of a chimpanzee in captivity. According to the zoo, she was also the oldest chimpanzee in human care at the time of her death.

Team leader Helen Clarke Bennett of Dublin Zoo, who has worked as a zookeeper since 1987 and has known Betty for many years, paid tribute to her.

In 1964, a West African chimpanzee named Betty made her way to Dublin. Bennett notes that Betty participated in archaic practices like “Chimp Tea Parties” and that the Dublin Zoo continued to operate in the “style of the early Victorian era zoos” throughout that period.

Betty saw major advancements in zoo standards throughout her decades-long confinement. For example, in the 1990s, the chimp habitat was transformed from a metal-barred concrete “pit” to an island with trees.

Bennett claimed to have known Betty since the zoo’s early years since Michael Clarke, Betty’s father, was looking after her at the time. The chimp was “always strong-minded,” according to him, and would not give up on her goals.

After Wendy moved in 1964, Betty’s best friend, Wendy, became an integral part of her life for the majority of it. One of the cutest pairs in the zoo was formed by the two monkeys.

“Wendy had a cheeky side, but Betty could hold her accountable!” Bennett penned the piece. “When Wendy was obstinately refusing to go outside while the habitat was being cleaned, Betty putting her arm around her to encourage her to go outside with the rest of the troop will always be one of my favorite pictures.”

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Betty and Wendy celebrated their 50th birthdays together in 2012 at the zoo. The zoo workers believed that Betty, who was devastated by Wendy’s death in 2014, wouldn’t be far behind.

She even managed to live on for a further ten years, rising to the rank of dominating female chimpanzee and earning the title of longest-serving inhabitant of the zoo.

Bennett stated that Betty experienced reduced kidney function and chronic arthritis in her latter years, which affected her weight and mobility. She was also under continuous wellness management.

They had to make the tough but humane decision to end the beloved chimp’s life after all medicinal and surgical alternatives had been tried. Even though Betty is no longer with us, she will always be cherished as a unique original and a zoogoer’s favorite for many decades to come.

“Although I am really saddened to bid farewell to a friend I have known since I was a young child, I am sure that Betty’s euthanasia was the right choice, ensuring that she didn’t suffer needlessly and preserving her dignity to the very end. That gives me a great deal of comfort,” Bennett wrote.

“Everyone here at Dublin Zoo as well as the many generations of visitors who were fortunate enough to know her will miss Betty terribly; there will never be another like her.”

Peace be with you, Betty. You lived a very long life, and it’s obvious that your loved ones and caregivers cherished you.

Man in Walmart Demanded That I Give up My Wheelchair for His Tired Wife – Karma Got Him before I Could

I never expected a trip to Walmart to turn into a showdown over my wheelchair, with a stranger demanding I give it up for his tired wife. As the situation spiraled and a crowd gathered, I realized this ordinary shopping day was taking an extraordinary turn.

I was cruising down the aisles in my wheelchair, feeling pretty good after scoring some deals, when a guy—let’s call him Mr. Entitled—blocked my path.

“Hey, you,” he barked, “My wife needs to sit down. Give her your wheelchair.”

I blinked, thinking it was a joke. “Uh, sorry, what?”

“You heard me,” he snapped, gesturing to his wife. “She’s been on her feet all day. You’re young, you can walk.”

I tried to keep my cool. “I actually can’t walk. That’s why I have the chair.”

Mr. Entitled’s face turned red. “Don’t lie to me! Now get up and let my wife sit down!”

My jaw dropped. I glanced at his wife, who looked mortified.

“Look, sir,” I said, patience wearing thin, “I need this chair to get around. There are benches near the front of the store.”

But he wasn’t having it. He stepped closer, looming over me. “Listen here, you little —”

“Is there a problem here?”

I’ve never been so relieved to hear a Walmart employee’s voice. A guy named Miguel appeared, looking concerned.

Mr. Entitled whirled on Miguel. “Yes! This girl won’t give up her wheelchair for my tired wife. Make her get out of it!”

Miguel’s eyebrows shot up. “Sir, we can’t ask customers to give up mobility aids. That’s not appropriate.”

Mr. Entitled sputtered. “What’s not appropriate is this faker taking up a chair when my wife needs it!”

People were starting to stare. Miguel tried to calm things down, speaking in a low tone. “Sir, please lower your voice. We have benches available. I can show you where they are.”

But Mr. Entitled was on a roll. He jabbed a finger at Miguel’s chest. “Don’t tell me to lower my voice! I want to speak to your manager right now!”

As he ranted, he stepped back—right into a display of canned vegetables. He stumbled, arms windmilling, and went down hard.

CRASH!

Cans went flying everywhere. Mr. Entitled lay sprawled on the floor, surrounded by dented tins of green beans and corn. For a moment, everything was silent.

His wife rushed forward. “Frank! Are you okay?”

Frank tried to get up, but slipped on a rolling can and went down again with another crash.

I couldn’t hold back a laugh. Miguel shot me a look, fighting a smile too.

“Sir, please don’t move,” Miguel said, reaching for his walkie-talkie. “I’m calling for assistance.”

Frank ignored him, struggling to his feet again. “This is ridiculous! I’ll sue this whole store!”

By now, a small crowd had gathered. A security guard and a manager appeared, taking in the scene—Frank standing unsteadily, cans everywhere, Miguel trying to keep things calm.

“What’s going on here?” the manager asked.

Frank opened his mouth to rant again, but his wife cut him off. “Nothing,” she said quickly. “We were just leaving. Come on, Frank.”

She grabbed his arm and started pulling him towards the exit. As they passed me, she paused. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

Then they were gone, leaving a mess of cans and confused onlookers in their wake.

The manager turned to me. “Ma’am, I’m so sorry for the disturbance. Are you alright?”

I nodded, finding my voice. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… wow. That was something else.”

He apologized again and started organizing the cleanup. People began to disperse, but a few helped pick up cans.

An older woman approached me, patting my arm. “You handled that so well, dear. Some people just don’t think before they speak.”

I smiled. “Thanks. I’m just glad it’s over.”

As the commotion died down, I decided to finish my shopping. No way was I letting Frank ruin my entire trip. I rolled down the next aisle, trying to shake off the residual tension.

“Hey,” a voice called out. I turned to see Miguel jogging up to me. “I just wanted to check if you’re really okay. That guy was way out of line.”

I sighed. “Yeah, I’m alright. Thanks for stepping in. Does this kind of thing happen often?”

Miguel shook his head. “Not like that, no. But you’d be surprised how entitled some people can be. It’s like they forget basic human decency when they walk through the doors.”

We chatted for a bit as I continued shopping. Miguel shared some of his own customer service horror stories, which honestly made me feel a bit better. At least I wasn’t alone in dealing with difficult people.

As I left the store, I couldn’t help but shake my head at the whole experience. What a day. But you know what? For every Frank out there, there are way more decent folks—like Miguel, that nice older lady, and curious kids.

I headed home, my faith in humanity a little battered but still intact. And hey, at least I had a wild story to tell. Plus, I got some free cereal out of the deal. Silver linings, right?

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