Finding Sanctuary: Veterans Heal with Animal Companions in Mississippi

PERKINSTON, USA — In the tranquillity of southeast Mississippi, an Army veteran named John Richard has found solace through his connection with a spirited spider monkey named Louie. As an enduring battle with post-traumatic stress disorder seemed unending, Richard now embraces a newfound peace. "Being out here has restored my faith," said Richard. "There's nothing like it." The impactful relationship began last autumn as Richard aided two veteran colleagues in establishing the Gulf Coast Primate Sanctuary. He volunteered to construct the very enclosure that Louie now calls home. During a recent encounter, Louie playfully climbed up Richard, wrapping him in a snug embrace. Responding in kind, Richard gently caressed the monkey’s back, whispering soothing words until Louie released his hold and playfully swung away. "He's always making little sounds in my ear, telling me, ‘I love you. I know you're OK. I know you won't hurt me,'" Richard reflected. Louie’s companionship has proven more therapeutic than any PTSD treatment Richard has undergone in over 20 years. April Stewart, the sanctuary's founder and an Air Force veteran, shares a parallel experience. She confronted her own PTSD, a result of military sexual trauma. "PTSD was eroding my life like a relentless cancer," Stewart explained. While animals initially became a mode of coping, her efforts culminated in the sanctuary—an unintended haven for veterans wrestling with PTSD. “By helping the primates learn to trust, we are, in turn, learning to trust ourselves, allowing us to extend grace towards people,” she noted. April Stewart’s sanctuary, spanning 15 acres, now teems with a wide array of rescue animals, including dogs, geese, a cat, three spider monkeys, two squirrel monkeys, and two kinkajous. Found north of the Gulf Coast near Perkinston, the sanctuary features three large enclosures customized for each species, equipped with air-conditioned units and expansive outdoor spaces where the animals freely bask and play. Stewart starts and ends her day tending to the animals, ensuring their needs are met. Although overwhelming, Stewart counts on a dedicated group of volunteers—many of whom are veterans—to sustain the sanctuary’s operations. The Stewarts aspire to welcome the public by offering guided educational tours come next summer. Founded last October following a series of monkey rescues, Stewart and her husband, both veterans, established the sanctuary. With assistance from specialized veterinarians, they instituted a foundation to oversee the sanctuary—proudly recognized as Mississippi’s sole USDA-licensed primate refuge. This foundation safeguards the future care of the animals beyond the Stewarts' capacity to manage it. All the sanctuary's animals once lived as pets, later abandoned by owners unable to meet their complex needs. Stewart emphasizes that primates, in fact, demand ample space and social interaction, challenging requirements for most households. Aiming to replicate their natural environment, the sanctuary offers both physical and social enrichment, ensuring each animal finds a new "family" alongside its kind. "This is their family," Stewart affirmed. (AP)

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