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ON THE MOV Primate Sanctuary working § towards relocating to the former Northwood Zoo Darwin, the Japanese Macaque who is often referred to as the “Ikea” monkey has been at Story Book since 2012. Pockets Warhol is a capuchin monkey. Remel, a ring-tailed lemur. At one time, the sunset of a monkey’s days in the entertainment business tragically spelled the end of his days, period. Similarly, the frustration felt by an over- whelmed exotic pet owner most often wrote the animal’s death warrant. But Sunderland’s Story Book Farm changed all that. Founded in the early 2000s by husband and wife Leon- ard and Sherri Delaney, the 129-acre facility offered sanc- tuary for primates from a variety of backgrounds. And if all goes as its operators hope, Story Book — one of only two such facilities in Canada — will relocate to Port Perry, potentially in Spring 2015. “That new location [the former Northwood Zoo] would be about half the acreage of the existing farm,” says Rachelle Hansen, one of Story Book’s 30-plus dedi- cated volunteers. “But its usable space would be greater and the infrastructure’s better.” Current Northwood owner Norm Phillips sees the advantages of taking over the Northwood grounds. “It's a move-in facility,” he says. “That will be con- venient for them to move in quickly. Their Board has looked it over very carefully and know that it will suit their needs.” That change of address will require substantial public support for the non-profit and volunteer-driven farm. But hard work, literally starting from the ground up, has written its his- tol ry. Sherri Delaney recognized the need for a place for “retiring” mon- keys to live out their lives in safety and the company of their own kind. As well, her job as a Durham Region police officer provided her with sometimes-alarming insights into the fates of those who had been kept as pets. “Primates are social beings,” Rachelle explains. “They’re highly intelligent, and require stimulation. Unlike domesticated animals like dogs and cats, they need the com- pany of their own kind to be happy. Please turn to page 24 FOCUS - FEBRUARY 2015 23