How did Buck die? 'Chimp Crazy' reveals tragic end of chimp who became 'ticking time bomb'
Contains spoilers for 'Chimp Crazy'
PENDLETON, OREGON: Eric Goode's latest docuseries, 'Chimp Crazy', highlights the dangers of keeping wild and exotic animals as pets by revisiting real-life cases where these 'pets' suddenly turned on their owners, resulting in loss of life. 'Chimp Crazy' Episode 3 tells the tale of Buck, a wild animal forced to live in a cage for years, until his tragic end.
Oregon woman Tamara Brogoitti's obsession with her 'pet' chimp came into PETA's knowledge much before the incident and yet, no action was taken. PETA had warned that Buck was a 'ticking time bomb', a warning that Tamara chose to ignore until she paid a hefty price for it.
Buck was Tamara Brogoitti's 'pet' chimp for almost 17 years
Buck was born in 2004 at a chimpanzee-breeding compound in Missouri, as per a report by PETA. He was just 21 days old when he was acquired by Tamara Brogoitti. She raised him like her biological children. Buck used to accompany her to supermarkets and even slept with her in the same bed.
After a few issues, she began to keep Buck in a cage at her 800-acre ranch near Pendleton. Tamara even called her 50-year-old daughter April Brogoitti to help her in 2019.
Buck attacked his owner's daughter
Buck was over 17 years old and nearly 200 pounds when he attacked April. The agitated chimp jumped onto her as soon as he was released from his cage on the morning of January 20, 2021.
Tamara and April used to follow strict protocols to handle Buck. When Tamara would release Buck from the cage for their morning breakfast together, April would lock herself in the room. However, that morning, the mother-daughter duo forgot to follow the protocol.
When Buck found April lying in bed which used to be his, he attacked her, biting her arms, legs, and torso. Tamara took April and locked themselves into the basement before calling 911.
"She needs an ambulance. The ambulance cannot get to her. I've locked myself in the basement with her. I can't get out to get my own gun. She's bleeding profusely. I've never seen anything like this," Mirror quoted Tamera's panic call to the local authorities.
Buck was shot to death by a local cop
As the sheriff's deputies arrived at Tamera's ranch, they found Buck roaming near a fence. When the cops were unable to rescue the two women, Tamera asked them to shoot Buck.
The cops followed Tamera's suggestion and shot him in the head. While Tamera considered it a necessary step, PETA called out the shooting incident believing that it could have been avoided.
How to stream 'Chimp Crazy'?
For US citizens, 'Chimp Crazy' is available to stream on Max. Membership to the streaming platform comes at $9.99/month.
'Chimp Crazy' is directed by Eric Goode, who previously gained fame for his 2020 docuseries 'Tiger King'.
'Chimp Crazy' trailer
