A woman’s face was mauled by her best friend’s pet Chimpanzee: Turned into a nightmare
In February 2009, what seemed like a normal afternoon in Stamford, Connecticut turned into a nightmare.
A 200-lb pet chimpanzee named Travis, raised by his owner Sandra Herold as a companion, escaped his enclosure with her car keys and became agitated.
When Herold called her friend Charla Nash over to help lure him back, Travis suddenly exploded in rage, charging at Nash and brutally mauling her. He violently mauled her face, leaving her permanently blinded and disfigured. Herold desperately tried to stop the attack before calling 911 in panic.
Police arrived within minutes and fatally shot Travis as the situation spiraled out of control, bringing the terrifying incident to an end.
The story made global headlines and became a stark warning about the dangers of keeping wild animals as pets, and Nash’s long, ongoing recovery, including groundbreaking face transplant surgery, continues to draw attention years later.
