Alan Cumming's missing chimpanzee costar from the 1990s family comedy "Buddy" was found in a basement and has been rescued.
In April, Cummings partnered with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to try to locate Tonka, who was last seen caged at the now inoperable Missouri Primate Foundation, which bred chimpanzees and then rented them out for movies and parties or sold them to private owners.
"During the months we filmed together, baby Tonka and I became good friends, playing and grooming each other and just generally larking about," Cumming, who put up a $10 000 reward, said in a statement at the time, according to Variety. "It's horrible to think he might be in a cage in a dark basement somewhere or have met some other fate, so I'm appealing to whoever knows what has become of him to please come forward [and] claim the reward."
PETA had previously sued the foundation for subjecting its animals to "filthy" living conditions. The animal rights group then got permission to move Tonka and six other chimpanzees to an accredited sanctuary. However, when PETA arrived to make the transfer in July 2021, they discovered that Tonka was missing.
The owner, Tonia Haddix, said the chimpanzee had died, but in January, a judge found this testimony was not credible, leading to PETA and Cumming's renewed efforts to find Tonka.
In a statement to Newsmax, PETA described finding Tonka "languishing in a tiny cage in her [Haddix's] basement." The animal could "only take a few steps in any direction," he was "not allowed to go outside, he couldn't feel the sun or the grass beneath his feet, he had no companionship with other chimpanzees" and "was not receiving proper veterinary care."
Earlier this week PETA announced that Tonka is being relocated to the Save the Chimps' sanctuary in Florida, People reported.
"I feel so emotional about this great news. When I met Tonka while filming the movie 'Buddy,' I made a true friend, and I was honored that he thought of me as a fellow chimp," Cumming said in a statement. "I'm dancing a jig that PETA has rescued Tonka from the woman who locked him away alone in a basement and lied about it.
"The thought of Tonka being able to wander free and happy at Save the Chimps' lush, spacious sanctuary for the rest of his life has me singing a happy song."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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