Save the Chimps, the largest privately funded sanctuary for retired chimpanzees in the 
world, announced the hire of Dr. Kelsey McClure as Associate Veterinarian serving under Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Valerie Kirk.
“We are so pleased to welcome Dr. McClure to our team,” stated Dr. Kirk. Dr. McClure will be managing the clinical work involved in caring for 240 chimpanzees, 17% of whom are geriatric, as well as participating in the Sanctuary’s preventive veterinary care programs. “Dr. McClure is well-versed in the protocols and procedures of working with large mammals. Her professionalism combined with her passion for the work will be a great addition to our care program,” added Dr. Kirk.
A Colorado native, Dr. McClure first became interested in Great Apes during an animal cognition class at the University of California-Berkeley where, as an undergraduate, she studied psychology and earned admission to the national Honors Society, Sigma Alpha Lambda. While working in in Louisiana at the Audubon Zoo in animal care, Dr. McClure became inspired by the work of the veterinarians on staff and committed herself to the lifelong care of animals, with a keen interest in the lives of Great Apes. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University and was most recently employed as a Zoological Medicine Intern at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba. An avid traveler, Dr. McClure has been to 37 countries, including a number of study abroad programs, with internships and externships focused on wild animal medical care.
A Legacy of Caring
Since its founding in 1997 by Primatologist Dr. Carole Noon, the sanctuary has successfully retired over 300 chimpanzees from unsuitable living conditions, allowing them to live out their days in a safe, secure, and vibrantly social community alongside their fellow chimpanzees. The retired chimps now live in large family groups on 12 separate three-acre islands, where they receive three fresh meals daily, first rate medical care, and a variety of activities in an enriched environment.
Save the Chimps is committed to providing sanctuary and exemplary care to chimpanzees in need. As the world’s largest privately funded sanctuary for chimpanzees, Save the Chimps relies 100% on annual donations from generous groups and individuals. Out of respect for its residents’ privacy, the sanctuary is closed to the public except for two Member Days each year, the next one being October 5th, 2019. For more information or to donate your time or treasure, visit savethechimps.org.