Merry Christmas

As this Christmas 2011 day dawns, our hearts are moved by love, appreciation, gratitude and wonder for the year that has been.  The greatest gifts of love, hope and strength have been bestowed on our residents by friends, new and old.  New volunteers, new supporters and new people stepping forward, voting for SBFPS in the Aviva Challenge.  As the saying goes "friends we have not met yet".. We did not make it through to the Finals, but the feel we have "won" so much along this journey.  Even in our wildest dreams we could not have dreamt of this year - Pockets Warhol becoming known world-wide and bringing awareness to the sanctuary.  Our hearts are full as we reflect on our devoted volunteers, Ann, Jen, Little Jen, Leslie, Sam, Kim, Charmaine, Izzy, Erica, Melissa, Jeannine, Vanessa, Sepi, the list goes on.  We are so blessed to work alongside Sherri, an inspirational woman, who deals with many demands, personally, professionally in her police work, and still has the will, love and determination to make the lives of the monkeys her priority and give them the best life. 

May we all reflect on the blessings and gifts we each receive!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Just wanted to add a couple of pics from Sunday.

Pockets was busy painting with his muse, Charmaine.

Jenkins was being ever so handsome...

And this one of the lemur boys was quite enjoying dinner!! Thanks Steph!!!!!

Pockets' Art Extravaganza - Dec. 6, 2011

A Pockets' masterpiece (SOLD!!!!)
This one is called Orangutan.
The artist in his studio!
Sherri holds one of Pockets' completed works.

What a night!!!! Pockets has captured imaginations all around the world, and people are putting their money out to buy his paintings and support the Sanctuary! We owe a huge THANK YOU to Al Ridley, owner of Sadie's Diner, for hosting this show.

And to everyone who has helped to get us this far - many many thanks!

And to Pockets...well, Pockets is just amazing!!!

Please keep voting for the monkeys in the Aviva competition!

Al Ridley, our host and owner of Sadie's Diner! Thanks Al!
The crowd studies and interprets the masterpieces on display.
Rachelle is a happy person tonight!!!!!
And so is Sherri!!!!
In fact everyone has a smile and is feeling the excitement!!

Charmaine, Pockets' muse and animator!!!

What an amazing week!

Happy Friday all!  Hope you had a good week.

At the sanctuary, it has been a whirlwind!  Pockets Warhol, our creative little capuchin, his muse Charmaine Quinn, along with Erica Jacques, Sherri, and the generous Al Ridley of Sadie's Diner have been featured on news throughout the world, including India, Ghana, Taiwan, UK, US and of course, right here at home.  Thanks to the efforts Jeannine Rosenberg, our media volunteer, Pocket's art extravaganza was picked up "on the wires".  The level of interest and support has been overwhelming.  With coverage by The Toronto Star, CTV National News, CanadaAM, Citytv, CFRB, Global, CBC and even CNN! - many people have learned about Pockets and the important work of the sanctuary.

Follow @PocketsWarhol on Twitter or Find him on Facebook here!

Painting is something that Pockets really enjoys.  It provides enrichment, and mental stimulation for him.  He relishes in the attention of Charmaine and is happy when he was created something!  At the sanctuary we look for activities and enrichment for all of the primate residents.  For instance, Sweet Pea loves faux fur, so we ensure she always has something soft to groom. Lexy enjoys her dollies, so we pay special attention that she has one.  Chelsea, as you have read here before, is absolutely besotted by rubber boots.  She now has quite a collection.  Last Sunday, when Ann was cleaning her area, Ann would pick up each boot and offer it to Chelsea, so she could choose whether she wanted to keep it with her or not.  We could then clean the discarded ones for that day.  Little Cheeko, Pocket's neighbour also gets special attention as we make sure he has mirrored toys to play with.  As you can see, everyday our devoted volunteers work with the residents to do their best to have a healthy and happy day.

We thank you all again, and ask you, with deep respect, to please keep voting EVERY DAY in the Aviva Community Fund Challenge.  At the time of writing we are in 15th place, which is very worrisome.  We need to be in the Top 10 and there are only 6 days left.  We so want to provide a safe and "story book" ending to 19 other primates on a wait list to come to us.  It is hard to cope with knowing that others are in horrific circumstances and are living with the threat of death over them if they cannot be retired to Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary. We are holding our breath with our hearts are in our throats - won't you please vote to save lives and help holiday dreams come true?

Thank you for all your support and interest!

We are in the Semi-Finals!

We are so close we can feel it! - Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary  is a NATIONAL SEMI-FINALIST in the $1 000 000 Aviva Community Fund to win $50 000 - $100 000 towards upgrades and expansion to address the needs of the many primates in Canada that desperately require rescuing! 

There are 29 other semi-finalists in our category, and the Top 10 go through to final round of judges. 

VOTE HERE

Please vote EVERY DAY for the next 12 days (December 5 to December 16) to place us in the final judging round!

Watch our video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmmKaQ7LcMo

Thanks in advance for all your support!!

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Watch us on Youtube

Aviva Community Fund - We Need Your Help - Only 4 Days Left to Vote!

Action Alert!  There are only four days left to vote in the Aviva Community Fund.  Please, please vote daily to ensure we are in the Top 5.  Earlier in the week, "Monkeys in our Midst" was in 4th place, but as of this afternoon, we've slipped to 9th.  Only those projects in the Top 10 will be considered for funding.  The competition is tight.

Every week we get calls to help individuals in dire need.  For example, recently: a lab contacted SBFPS looking to retire monkeys; officials called in Sherri to assist with baboons and macaques currently in tiny, confined "cages" in various owners' homes; the roadside zoo "season" is over,  and operators have been looking to "dispose" of "surplus animals" or others are at risk of being locked in dark barns without any windows or sunlight.  We've even become aware of monkeys that are being trafficked for the bushmeat trade right here in Ontario.  The need is great for monkeys who are in terrible situations through no fault of their own.  Please, won't you join your voices and vote to help them?

Please click on the link to vote daily for the next four days.  Thank you so much!
http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf10939

Aviva Community Fund - We've made it to Round 3

Happy Monday everyone!  We are so excited that with your support and over 750 others, "Monkeys in our Midst" has made it to Round 3 in the Aviva Community Fund.  This is the LAST CHANCE we have to make it to the semi-finals!

If each person votes every day, we have a good chance to secure the much needed funding to help monkeys in need. 

Please, please share with friends, family, colleagues and fellow students.  This round ends November 30th at 12:00PM.

http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf10939

Thank you so, so much!

Pockets, our resident Artiste!!!!!

Pockets is getting ready for a painting session! He has a show coming up, so he must get up early to start creating those masterpieces!
Sometimes the artist gets a better effect using a cloth rather than hands or feet or tail!
Pockets appears to check out the colour that Steph has offered him...perhaps he is not in a red mood today????
Lots of people get involved in Pockets' artistic efforts! And he loves the attention!
"This is my magnificent tail", says Pockets Capuchin. It can be used as a rope, a hand, or even a paintbrush!

Training Mr. Jenkins

Erica has been working with one of our Spider monkeys - Mr. Jenkins. She is trying to get him to be more gentle in his interactions with people. Instead of the grabbing and pulling that he has done for years, he is beginning to reach out and hold hands without the pull and pinch we have come to expect! Well done, Erica and Jenks!!!

Announcing the SBFPS 2012 Calendar Sale!

The holiday season is upon us and SBFPS has the perfect gift ideas!!! 

We also know you want a flashy calendar for the new year to keep track of all you do, and so here we are providing you with one!

Calendars are $20, + shipping & handling - and are they ever worth it! 

Email us at sbfpsanctuary@gmail.com to make your purchase today!

See our sample photos below:

Have a calendar? How about some holiday cards?

Consider becoming a foster friend to a monkey in need, or purchasing a visit to the farm to meet the monkeys. 

E-mail us for all your holiday needs! 

Happy Holidays!!!

VOTE! Aviva Community Fund *Homestrech* Update - We are in the next round and need your votes!

Thank you so much to everyone who is voting in the Aviva Community Fund Challenge!  We've made it into the next round, and as of tonight, we are over 1,100!!  Please continue to vote daily and share the link far and wide.  Top projects are over the 3,000 mark, so we really need to "pull out all the stops" to ensure a better future for primates.  In light of the tragedy in Ohio, we need to be able to step up in an emergency situation to help the helpless ones.

Please watch our latest video, and vote at the link below!
http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf10939

Thanks so much for your continued support!

Aviva Community Fund - Please vote daily to help us get to 1,000 votes

Good evening!  Hope you are enjoying time with family and friends.  Please keep Story Book Farm in mind, and vote daily.  We are over the 500 vote mark - can you help us get to 1,000?

http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf10939

Thank you so much!

Voting Opens Today - October 3, 2011

Happy Monday!  We hope you enjoyed your weekend!

Please begin voting today to help make a change in your community and for the "Monkeys in our Midst" who need your support! Please watch the video below!

Click here to vote:  www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf10939 

Please share with all your friends, colleagues, fellow students, family and neighbours.  Let's all be part of the solution! 

Thank you for your vote and support!

Aviva Community Fund - Get ready to vote beginning October 3rd

Help make a change in your community and for the "Monkeys in our Midst" who need your support!  Please get ready to vote daily for SBFPS in the Aviva Comunity Fund. Voting begins on Monday, October 3, 2011 at 12:00PM.  Click here to vote:  www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf10939 

Please share with all your firends, colleagues, fellow students, family and neighbourhoods.  As hard as it is for people to believe, there is such a need.  The sanctuary receives calls weekly to assist with short and long term care of monkeys in distress locally and abroad.

Thank you for your support!

Buddy Lemur

Just a quick update on Buddy Lemur!
He had another vet visit - he was not eating or drinking after his accident that broke his jaw. So back to Dr. Holmes we went, and once again our wonderful vet was able to find the problem. One canine tooth was out of alignment and making a hole in Buddy's lower jaw - so out it came. Buddy was given some fluids and some pain meds - and now he appears to be eating again! This is great news!!!!

Thanks again!!!!

So many people stopped by our booth at the Veggie Food Fair! It was great to see people so interested in the work we do.

A number of people said they would be interested in helping out at one of our upcoming Lumberjack Days! We need to get ourselves a mega-woodpile in order to keep the monkeys warm this winter - so anyone who can help out is very welcome. We will be having these days on Oct. 8 and 29,, Nov. 19 and Dec. 10.

Please let us know if you can help!!!!

It's September!!!!

A huge thank you to everyone who came out in support of the monkeys on any or all of the four Open Days this summer. Kristen - you are a star! Tina - thanks so much for the publicity! Each and every one of you who make the trek - THANK YOU - and we hope that we will see you all (and maybe some of your friends too) again soon!

Labour Day is over, so now we start prepping for the harsher season ahead!

But first - some news: Susie has had all her tubes and stitches removed and is back with George. The reintro went off without a hitch and both spider monkeys are happy to be together again!
Buddy Lemur is very quiet and uncomfortable with his broken jaw - but he is coming along and we are hoping that he will soon be more like his normal self - but maybe with a slightly more mellow attitude...
And Buddy Goat continues to use his new and improved legs. We strap them on and he motors across the kitchen - looking for food!!!!! He is just the most amazing goat! Many many thanks to Janice Olynich for her continuing care and support.
Lexy's outdoor enclosure is almost ready (thanks Reece!!!!!) Soon we hope to allow Julien access to Lexy's space so the two of them can have companionship. Julien seems to be calmer since his surgery (thanks Dr. Holmes and the TZ team!!!) We are all looking forward to this very exciting event!

And now - we need your help again! The furnace has already had to be on since the nights are colder now, and even some of the days are cool enough that windows and doors must remain closed. We need to prepare for winter by building a huge woodpile - and so we need to get out into the woodlot and bring down some of the dead trees that are out there, chop them up and pile the wood by the furnace ready for burning. There have been 4 Saturdays put aside to do this work - Oct. 8, Oct. 29, Nov. 19 and Dec. 10. The more hands we have to help the faster (and more fun) the work will be. Please get in touch at sbfpsanctuary@gmail.com if you can help!!!!! The monkeys thank you!!!!

Maggie goes to the vet too!

Susie was not alone in the back of the car on our visit to the vet - Maggie went too.
Maggie is one of 4 - or 5, depending on the day - of the Farm dogs. They are all special and well loved - and if there is something amiss, they are given everything they need.
In this case, Maggie had developed some growths on her tongue and in her mouth - and growths are always scary things. We needed to know how serious this all was...
Dr. Holmes took a look at her and told us not to worry - the growths were not a medical problem, certainly not anything that we needed to worry about - skin tags, only!!!! But he did remove them, and she got some special spa treatment at the same time - nails clipped, a good brushing- and a story to tell all the other dogs when she got home!

Susie goes to the vet!

Susie, our old and precious black spider monkey, has been suffering from an injury to her hip for a while. She already went to the vet (the wonderful Dr. Jim Holmes of Anderson Veterinary Clinic in Whitby)a couple of months ago, and he did surgery then - but the wound continued to be infected and weep and generally not heal. So we needed to make another trip.
Susie was great - got into the carrier, was really good in the car - and finally fell asleep so she could be checked by the vet. It turned out that there was a small splinter inside her wound - when and how it arrived are mysteries - it was not there on the xrays - could have been in the straw -but in any case, it was removed...
Susie now has some drainage tubes in her side, and she is stitched and glued, and she will be kept calm and quiet and separated from George, until the infection is gone. Then she can have the tubes and stitching removed and she can go home to her regular enclosure. We are all hoping that this will all happen soon...
She is a real trooper, our Susie, a resilient and tough old girl - and we will spoil her with attention and lots of good care....

A great day!!! We thank you!

Story Book Farm and all its residents want to send a huge thank you out to the people who attended the Open Day on Sunday August 14!!!! You were all great - the monkeys enjoyed meeting you - and your support is truly appreciated!!!!!
We hope that you will come again and that you will follow events as they happen at the Farm on this site or on our Facebook Page!

After a busy (and hot) four days of tearing down and rebuilding, Lexy's new outdoor area is ready for her inspection! There are still things to be done (like adding the door!!!!) but she has been locked inside for long enough and needs to be outside for a while. So - she is opened up - but she is very tentative ... taking her time to peer out the door, then stick head and shoulders out, and finally come to sit at the top of her ladder and take everything in. I am sure that after we left, she explored her new area. Once all the bits and pieces have been completed, we can try letting Julien out there with her! Things just keep moving along at SBF!!!!
Huge thanks to Reece Cowan for spending his vacation building Lexy's area - and to everyone who came out over the 4 days to help! It could not have happened without you!!!!! Lexy and Julien are grateful!

Julien's surgery

After a year in the planning, Julien finally had his neuter surgery yesterday. Thanks to Dr. Holmes and his staff, as well as Iga and Izzy from Toronto Zoo! A great success! The next step will be to rebuild a newer stronger enclosure so that Julien and Lexy will be able to share space!!!!

Julien all calm and sedated before being darted

Mr. Jules fast asleep, being put in a net for transport

Anaesthesia

A helping hand
The rare opportunity for Julien's caregivers to be able to be close and actually touch him
Leslie and Jenn even made some fabulous handprints!

All neutered and as if nothing even happened!

Buddy's new legs!
You have to check out this amazing goat! Two new front legs, and he is raring to go!!!!! Gotta love a goat like this!!!