Tony-Award winner Alan Cumming is trying to find his buddy.
Cumming is keen handy over a cool $10,000 in alternate for details about the well-known chimpanzee who starred within the 1997 comedy “Buddy” with him.
Lacking for months, Tonka was final seen caged up on the now-defunct Missouri Primate Basis — a chimpanzee breeding facility that rented the primates out for films and events or bought them to non-public house owners.
Animal rights group PETA joined forces with Cumming by placing up its personal $10,000 reward, elevating the whole as excessive as $20,000 for details about the lacking chimp.
“Through the months we filmed collectively, child Tonka and I grew to become good buddies, taking part in and grooming one another and simply typically larking about,” Cumming mentioned.
“It’s horrible to suppose he may be in a cage in a darkish basement someplace or have met another destiny, so I’m interesting to whoever is aware of what has grow to be of him to please come ahead and declare the reward.”
PETA initially sued the Missouri Primate Basis over its dwelling circumstances and was granted permission to rescue Tonka, in addition to six different chimps, and switch them to a sanctuary.
When the group arrived to hold out the court docket’s order final July, Tonka was lacking, and proprietor Tonia Haddix advised officers he died, PETA said in a statement.
In January, a decide discovered that Haddix’s testimony was not credible, prompting PETA and Cumming to launch a seek for the beloved chimpanzee, the animal rights group added.
“If you realize the place Cumming’s former costar could have been shipped to, bought, or hidden away, PETA needs to listen to from you,” mentioned Brittany Peet, PETA Basis Deputy Basic Counsel for Captive Animal Regulation Enforcement.
