Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Rainbow Light]

www.rspca.co.uk

www.monkeyworld.co.uk - a wonderful sanctuary in Dorset, England where chimps/apes/orang-u-tan etc are rescued from countries where there have been known abuse cases including zoos and so on.

[Wanda June Hill]

Hi Sue, It's great that there is a place for these precious animals there in England-there were and are so many of them living horrendous lives in captivity and medical centers as well. Right here in our area there is that going on more or less in secret but all sanctioned by our animal laws-which I think are ridiculous and way out dated. I used to be involved physically in such things but now try to help in other ways since I'm not as agile as I used to be, darn it.

An old friend whom I haven't heard from in some years
told me once about Elvis and his chimp. He'd have him sitting on his lap and he'd ask him questions and the chimp would "answer" with various gestures, head nods and noises. One question was: Are you my buddy?"
and the chimp would nod yes and then give Elvis a big lip smacking kiss on the face and hug him. Elvis would grin and laugh and the Chimp would reach up and mess up his hair...which was usually kept neatly combed in those days. Elvis would say, "Awww, now you have to comb my hair-can't let me be seen this way!" And the chimp would rake his hair back in place with his fingers and then kiss him again. Elvis would give him a little hug and talk to him like he did with children and the chimp would cuddle up against him and look up at him adoringly and was content to sit there while Elvis talked or watched tv and he would let Elvis know if he had to go to the bathroom and Elvis and him went hand in hand down the hallway. The Chimp wore diapers under his pants when I saw him-as he was apt to do some pretty gross things in public at times. Of course the guys thought it was so funny when it did that in front of the girls. My friend always said it was "unsettling" to see how human the "ape" was sitting on Elvis' lap and the way he looked at Elvis, would rather look at him than anything else when Elvis was just relaxing and in a good mood. Elvis sent the chimp back as his housekeepers were tired of taking care of it and also, it was not nice when Elvis wasn't there to control it's moods. So it had a big cage at Graceland and I guess wasn't happy-it didn't last long there. Elvis thought he "broke his poor little heart" and in turn "killed" him. He "rescued him" for quite a while and the chimp had a very varied life with Elvis who spoiled him rotten...probably pretty much as he would have a young child in his care. All I remember about that chimp was how "dead" feeling it's hands were-certainly not human feeling-the skin and everything about the hand that looked almost human-sure wasn't! wjh

[Rainbow Light]

THANKS FOR SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT ELVIS' CHIMP WITH US HERE TOO!! I'D HEARD THAT CHIMP COULD GET UP TO SOME PRETTY GROSS THINGS IN PUBLIC TOO!

THE CENTRE IN DORSET IS RUN BY TWO NEW YORKERS WHO MOVED TO ENGLAND THEN STARTED THIS PLACE UP, JIM AND ALISON CRONIN. THEY HAVE DEVOTED THEIR LIVES TO THE CARE OF MONKEYS, CHIMPS AND SO ON. I KNOW MANY PEOPLE, IF THEY SEE ANYTHING SUSPECT WHILE THEY ARE ON HOLIDAY THAT COULD BE INDICATIVE OF ABUSE, NEGLECT, CRUELTY THEY WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH JIM AND ALISON AND THEY THEN DO THEIR VERY BEST TO HELP RESCUE THE ANIMALS HOWEVER THEY CAN. CAN'T ALWAYS BE SUCCESSFUL OF COURSE BUT MANY TIMES THEY ARE, WOULD IMAGINE THAT MUST BE PRETTY REWARDING IN ITSELF AT TIMES BUT ALSO FRUSTRATING IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AS WELL.

[Barbara Lea]

WANDA IS IT TRUE THAT ELVIS'S CHIMP WOULD LOOK UNDER GIRLS DRESSES? THAT'S WHAT I READ ONE TIME, NOW CERTAINLY OUR LITTLE ANGLE MAN DIDN'T TEACH THE CHIMP TO DO THIS DID HE? BARB

[Wanda June Hill]

That chimp smoked, pinched fannies, pulled up skirts, stuck it's hand between the girls legs, and you name it!
Elvis didn't teach it all those things, but he laughed over it just as much as the others who did-some of the things it did when Elvis was not around-that were more gross than anything else. Elvis wasn't aware they allowed it to take of it's pants etc;.... he wouldn't have gone for that I don't think-but then maybe he would have with certain types of girls there. I didn't see any of it except the flipping of the skirts one time and the girl screaming and Elvis jumping to "rescue" her but all the time, about to bust up laughing and trying to hide it. I heard the chimp got drunk also and staggered around-but that when Elvis wasn't there also. I could easily see why the little guy would die of a broken heart having been treated so well, like another person, with so much attention and then be stuck in a cage away from everyone and things, ignored.
It would have been very, very lonely and miserable just being a chimp-I think he had been an "actor" animal too.
I don't know where Elvis got it, someone gave it to him or else he "rescued it" from whatever. He never told me and I don't recall asking or hearing how he came to be.
I just know that Elvis felt badly that it had died-he cried.
when he was at Graceland the chimp got attention, but it had become mean and would bite so no one liked it at Graceland-it ony liked Elvis...who was in Hollywood making movies and didn't go to Graceland for a while there so the chimp was either poisoned or he died...I heard both stories, and that the caretakers were glad to be rid of it. So???? wjh

[juliepresleyfan]

i read in a book about poor scatter would upset the people where elvis was staying while filming etc.. etc , and he sent him home to graceland.
but i allso read that scatter may have died because the maid who looked after him and brought his food every day didnt like him as he could be agressive in nature, so the book sort of intoned that the maid whomever she was may have poisoned scatter behinf elvis back then didnt own up, i cant remember which book but im sure i read that in one of my books.

do you think that could be true, wanda sure hope not eh .
has anyone else read that bit, like i said ive got quite s few books now, so id have to painstakingly go through em all to find it.

we were at a zoo me my mum , dad and sister when we were looking at a pair of chetahs, i think looked like boy and girl, they were kind of cooing happily at us 3 girls, but my dad went forward for a better look and the boy growled and spit at him, making him jump, dad said maybe he thinks dad was after his girlfriend lol.
maybe they are somewhat softer with females i dont know do you ?.
julie xx

[Wanda June Hill]

well, most wild animals are just that-wild and they do not like humans- those in capitivity are not tame normally, they keep them as cubs friendly, but still a wild animal is not entirely tame-ever. Especially a mated pair-and it wouldn't matter if it were a male human or a female one most likely as they don't relate to us. I live not too far from where they had big cats and elephants. The elephants were kept behind an electirc fence and the big cats were in large enclosures with extremely high fences that had wide overhangs so they couldn't jump up and climb out though one did. It was in with the elephants and didn't do any harm but they had a time catching it...finally it returned to his open cage on his own in order to eat after about 3 days. It could have escaped and wondered for miles around people and no doubt wouldhave been shot by someone. But it stayed where it had been housed for years and with it's "friends" the other cats caged near by. So that was lucky-for it. They ended up moving them all to another location and out of state- some when to other habitates for cats. These had and some were still, been movie cats-used in several films. One of them had been used for the MGM big cat logo and he was quite old and toothless-he was allowed to wonder freely most of the time and even went home with the caretaker who lived on the property. That lion lost his teeth, they were not removed, most of the others had no fangs-well they had stubs and if needed they had phoney cap fangs that could be attached to their stubs. They could still be dangerous as the other teeth worked. The elephants are still there-but haven't seen them in ages. Even the white lions in Vegas are not tame except to those who have raised and handled them. wjh.

[Rainbow Light]

Do they still have those white lions in Vegas? I know that Siegfried and Roy had the white tigers they'd brought up and then there was that accident where one of the tigers attacked one of the guys - can't remember which it was of them? Think that was a few years ago now but he's still far from ok but then I always wondered if using wild animals in a cabaret act was the best idea anyhow?

Not to say I'm not sympathetic, don't get me wrong though but it's more than a little crazy, don't you think?

Scatter sounded a right little s.o.b. at times with the antics he got up to especially when Elvis wasn't round to watch over him! But I can understand the little guy getting lonely and broken-hearted too though - there must be something about how animals can pine for those they miss, right?

Didn't Elvis, at one time, have a mynah bird he taught to swear at people or maybe others in his group did but think he may have been the ring leader, just possibly?!

[Wanda June Hill]

Yes he had one, also a parrot that had colorful sayings-
I'm sure he taught them some things...it would be right down his alley!
They have the white tigers in Vegas-they have a compound where people can view them safely from behind glass and Sig and Roy (it was Roy who was injured) still have shows there only Roy can't be anything but a guide/manager. they introduce new talent shows I guess. I saw the video several times of what happened, and then when Roy could speak he verified the fact that the tiger was NOT attacking him, it was protecting him from a fan with some kind of weird hairdo etc: and that the tiger was taking him back to the "cage" to go down for his protection. Unfortunately though, the tiger's teeth were so much sharper and stronger than a human neck! The tiger was trying to carry Roy like a mother does her cub-by the "scruff of the neck" or by the head. Roy feels no anomoisty to that tiger-he raised him, it had the run of their home and slept on Roy's bed sometimes...with him on it too. So I guess we will have to take Roy's word for what happened, he knew the tiger and was aware during the whole thing. He will not ever be what he was before- but accepts it apparently. Sig on the other hand has had many emotional ups and downs from what I've read and heard from people who live and work over there. I don't ever trust an animal-big or small under certain conditions and even with our stallion Foxx being so sweet, gentle and kind, he still is a big animal, with an animal's instincts and reactions. I try to tell my husand this, but he sometimes is lax and pays for it occasionally, stepped on foot, nip that breaks the skin...a horse can snap off a hand, fingers, arm if they should desire to do that...Many horses, usually stallions who have been mistreated as studs, young colts and young horses in general have killed people-some accidentally and others on purpose-they don't realize how strong they are-horses think they are tiny as they used to be many years ago-and because they do, they respect people as bigger than them, able to protect them and care for them. If they didn't have that in their psyche we wouldn't be able to handle them at all- They are powerful in every respect.
Unfortunatelly many people do not respect that power, and some mistreat the gentle horse, making it mean and fully milicious. A horse will study, will wait and then bang, they pay back. Especially stallions. Foxx has always been treated well, fairly and he responds to that fact-but I would never get between him and a mare or another stallion! He minds me with mares, he wants to be a good boy, and he looks at me for permission to do whatever it is he wants... I always marvel at that-but then I am his person. Thank heaven! I love him, but I wish I could find a good person who would take care of him and give him time that I can't anymore. He needs a job- horses love to have something to work at-to do. wjh

[Lighthouseseeker]

you're right about them Wanda,but can't help,I still trust my"Fish"forever,she's a sweetheart,nicest cat I've ever met..

[Barbara Lea]

HOW CUTE LIGHTHOUSESEEKER, I LOVE CATS. BUT I CAN'T HAVE ANY WHERE I LIVE,I HAVE 2 PARAKETTS. BABY GIRL AND BUBBA BARB!

[juliepresleyfan]

hi hope this works this is my youngest pussy holly

dont know if she will appear but i hope so lol
she was born on elvis bithday jasnuary 8th 1999
julie[/img]

[Wanda June Hill]

Such cuties! I love cats also, they are so loyal and affectionate and so opinionated! Your's have such sweet faces, and they know they are loved. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

Cute pictures, ladies! I'm gonna see if I can get a picture of Mac, my ginger tabby cat to put up if I can. He's a sweetheart but his nose has been put slightly out of joint (so to speak) as I've been 'kitty-sitting' for the neighbours while they've been away - two cute little bundles who are old enough now to be out and about and finding their garden - and everyone else's (come to that!) the perfect little jungles to explore!

Was interested to read more about the white tigers, Wanda and thanks for updating me as far as that goes also for horses in general and 'Foxx', specially. Can believe horses could be dangerous as other animals too though, wouldn't like to be on the end of one of those hoofs as far as a kick goes it has to be said, would imagine that would be lethal if not fatal?

[Rainbow Light]

Please find link below for anyone interested:

http://www.iar.org.uk/about/