© Born Free USAMy years working as a veterinary technician in a companion animal hospital taught me a valuable lesson: true well-being includes both physical and emotional health. During my training, I learned the necessary skills that focused on the physical wellness of a patient, but I quickly observed that a successful, effective technician was able to intuitively identify and manage mental and emotional cues, as well; a hospitalized cat could be comforted by a bed crafted from a towel, and an anxious dog would often respond positively to a calm voice and cross-body hug. Our patients typically visited the office for physical ailments, but an effective technician was one who appreciated that true health spanned both the physical and emotional states.[teaserbreak]
When I had the privilege of visiting the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary this past winter as part of the rescue of Mikey the monkey, I saw this theme paralleled in the sanctuary caregiver staff. The staff do not have direct contact with the primates, but they provide an amazing, all-inclusive level of care.
The walls of the sanctuary’s office are lined with dry-erase boards, packed with organized details about the residents who require special care, medication, or other treatment. The caregivers’ regular staff meetings encompass manners to best ensure that their standards of care remain high and that no details are ever overlooked. They also discuss ways to minimize stress and encourage enrichment.
Given the grueling Texas climate and the demanding nature of their work, I am overwhelmed by the exceptional level of care these primates receive. The caregivers approach ‘health’ for each resident from a comprehensive perspective, as I did as a veterinary technician. They embrace the idea that, as important as physical health is, it fails without the basis of emotional and mental health.
The residents of the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary were not always regarded in such a way. Many of them came to the sanctuary from medical research facilities, where mental well-being was certainly overlooked, or from failed pet situations, where they were likely not able to adequately exercise their natural habits. I cringe to think what would have become of these animals had they not been given refuge with our sanctuary and provided with this level of care.
I hope you will join me in my praise for this hard-working group of caregivers as they strive to provide optimal, thorough care for their unique charges. Send them an email of thanks! For them, it seems that being a caregiver for these monkeys isn’t just a job; it is a responsibility. I have no doubt that, as long as these primates are in the care of the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary staff, they will continue to enjoy ‘total health’ and want for nothing (expect maybe some more fresh fruit and monkey chow).
Keep Wildlife in the Wild,
