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Real Life Monkey Shines

posted 15 years ago by verycoolnin
4 replies | jump to latest

lol

http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-ches-veteran-monkey-attack,0,2639004.story

Chesapeake, Va. - A battle with a pet monkey almost left a Chesapeake man dead.

"Even though this happened, he's still my baby," said 60-year-old Babe Hamerick of Chesapeake.

Like a father who can only be so angry with his own son, Babe Hamerick can't help but forgive Noah - his little monkey that nearly killed him.

"He almost beat me, I swear to God. I was out of wind and so was he. Thank god he was out of wind too, ha," Hamerick said.

Hamerick says it started when he accidentally stepped on Noah's hand or foot. The capuchin snapped back violently, locking down on Hamerick's thumb.

"I just started pulling. Didn't give a d*** if I pulled my thumb off at the time - if there was anything I could do to stop the fight. I needed to stop it."

But the fight didn't end there - Noah kept swinging and biting. Hamerick says it was worse than war, even though he lost an eye in Vietnam.

"I got hit all over my body. That was a breeze compared to my little fight with him. Cut the vein, tore ligaments out of my wrists. I'm pumping blood all over."

Lucky for Hamerick, Noah slowed enough to get him back in his cage. Hamerick would be spared, yet Hamerick points the finger of blame at himself for whatever made Noah snap.

"I'm looking around and saying 'well, never thought I'd go out this way...I'm sitting there thinking I'm going to die."

Still, Hamerick says, "He's a great monkey."

The capuchin is actually a service monkey who has done more good than bad for Hamerick. The monkey helps him cope with post-traumatic stress steming from his days in war.

"When I get ready to go into an anxiety attack he'll jump on me or hug me around the neck and he'll chatter in my ear - so I know it's time to sit down and relax," Hamerick explained.

In seven years Noah has also become Hamerick's best friend.

"He's my kid. He's my actual kid. Like I told Chesapeake - if you take him away, you take me too."

[–] verycoolnin 15 years ago

Monkey Strikes Again!

http://www.wvec.com/video/featured-videos/Monkey-again-bites-owner-in- Chesapeake-89485767.html

CHESAPEAKE -- A Chesapeake man bitten by his monkey for the second time in two weeks is out of surgery.

Animal Control, police, and paramedics were called to the home of 60-year-old Joseph "Babe" Hamric about 10:00 p.m. Monday.

Just before going into surgery, Joseph "Babe" Hamric told his brother he’s had it with Noah.

The 7-year-old capuchin monkey went berserk Monday night just after Hamric fed him pork chops, said Hamric's brother, Bill.

"The monkey just attacked him," he said.

Noah, a certified service animal who comfort’s his owner’s post-traumatic stress, tore into Hamric’s hamstrings and bit his left hand, biting off his pinky.

Hamric wrestled the monkey to the ground and knocked him unconscious before getting him back into his cage, Bill Hamric said.

After being attacked March 17, Joseph Hamric said it would kill him if animal control officers took Noah away.

Now, he’s ready to either "put Noah down or give him away," Bill Hamric said.

Police say the monkey was put back in his cage at Hamric's home Monday night and Animal Control will follow up on the incident Tuesday.

Hamric's Capuchin monkey bit him on both hands March 17. Hamric said that incident happened because he had stepped on the monkey's tail.

According to officers, Hamric has owned the monkey for several years and has a local exotic animal permit for the animal.

13News learned that Chesapeake Police had responded to bite calls at Hamric's home twice before the March incidents -- in June 2006 and September 2008 - for reports of a bite to "non-owner."

The report does not say whether police filed any charges as a result of any investigation.

[–] Juststand 13 years ago

Forget it, I'd never have any monkey in my house for any length of time. Ughh.

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What you see (and have seen) is what you get -- and have!

[–] ih8tt 9 years ago

any idea what happened to Noah? just searched the man's name, and he has since passed away, RIP

[–] verycoolnin 8 years ago

No idea.