Pet Chimpanzee Fatally Shot After Attacking Woman In Oregon

An Oregon deputy fatally shot and killed an adult pet chimpanzee Sunday after it got out of its cage and attacked a woman.

The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office said around 8 a.m. local time (5 a.m. ET), the chimpanzee, named Buck, attacked the 50-year-daughter of Tamara Brogoitti, 68, media outlet East Oregonian reported.

Brogoitti then called 911, and told the operator the chimp was out of its cage and had bitten her daughter in the arms, torso and legs. She also told the operator her daughter was hiding in a basement bedroom. Brogoitti also escaped to the basement.

The 200-pound chimp had lived with Brogoitti for 17 years before the incident.

Deputies responding to the scene found the chimp roaming in a fenced area outside the house, and said the animal had to be "put down" so they could get to the women. According to the sheriff’s office, Brogoitti permitted them to shoot it. It is unclear what agitated the animal, reported The Tri-City Herald.

Both mother and daughter were taken to the hospital after the incident.

"The chimp was dispatched by one shot to the head," the East Oregonian reported the sheriff's office as saying.

The police were aware of the animal being on the premises, as Brogoitti lived across the sheriff’s office. Brogoitti had operated a nonprofit animal rescue called Buck Brogoitti Animal Rescue at her ranch from 2010 to 2019. It primarily housed horses that were seized by the sheriff’s office in neglect cases.

According to a statement by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), officers were warned the pet chimp could possibly become violent.

"PETA warned state authorities that Tamara Brogoitti had created a ticking time bomb by engaging in direct contact with a dangerous ape," the statement said. "Now, he is dead and a woman has been mauled because of Brogoitti’s refusal to follow experts’ advice and transfer Buck to an accredited sanctuary."

PETA also stated Brogoitti deprived the "highly social animal" of the companionship of other chimps.

According to experts at the Jane Goodall Institute, "Aggression is a natural aspect of chimpanzee behavior and it is not uncommon for chimps to bite each other in the wild."

The statement warned the public chimpanzees were dangerous pets to keep at home.