DONNA RAE

“DONNA RAE”    Donna Rae (1966-2005) was a chimp that was “cross fostered,” meaning she was raised in a human environment, as a human child.  The chimp and the owner’s child were raised as “sisters”, grew up, played and ate together, wore the same dresses and shoes, even learned to ride bicycles at the same time.   When Donna Rae was 12 years old, she was older, stronger and more mature and no longer safe to be around her “sister” without bars between them so she was sold.   The owner made the new buyers promise that Donna Rae would get her favorite peanut butter sandwiches, be allowed to go out for walks and would not be used for invasive biomedical research.  None of these promises, however, were kept by the buyers.  Instead, she was put in a 5’x5’x7’ cage, infected with the AIDS virus and subjected to horrible procedures and cruelty for 19 years.    She was finally rescued by the Fauna Foundation Chimp Sanctuary in Canada where she spent the last 8 years of her life.   

I first heard about his best friend “Donna Rae” when I found Tom and was gathering photos and information to do my “TOMMY” painting.  I was told that one of Donna Rae’s very favorite things to do was to squirt a water hose... at everything and everybody.  When I decided to a painting of her, I wanted to be sure to include the hose and her mischievous, playful,  “gonna get ya” grin.  

The painting is 48" x 36", oil on canvas with a gallery wrap.