What Happened To Tonia Haddix, The Star Of HBO's Chimp Crazy?

Tonia Haddix calls herself the "Dolly Parton of chimps," but to everyone else, she's just "Chimp Crazy." As the subject of HBO's documentary of the same name, Haddix has gained infamy for raising exotic animals — most notably Tonka, a chimpanzee who appeared in films including Brendan Fraser's "George of the Jungle" and Alan Cummings' "Buddy." But Haddix's love for primates has landed her in hot water, from allegations of substandard animal care to faking Tonka's death. (This show clearly belongs on the list of HBO's biggest scandals.) Despite mounting legal troubles, Haddix remains unapologetic, proudly continuing her self-proclaimed role as "chimp mom."

Before PETA swooped in, Haddix proudly flaunted her ownership of seven primates, including Tonka. But her chimp empire crumbled when PETA discovered she'd failed to meet basic care standards. She even told a judge Tonka had died, only for investigators to find the "deceased" chimp lounging in her basement. Still, Haddix insists the documentary paints her as far more unhinged than she actually is. "They used footage to meet their narrative. They could have used me cleaning all day, feeding those chimps fresh fruit and vegetables, rather than the Happy Meals they purchased the day before the chimps left," she told Rolling Stone. "There could have been so much more that would have shown depth and what it really cost me." She also claimed that the production crew, who were also responsible for introducing the world to "Tiger King" jailbird Joe Exotic, manipulated her and turned her in to the authorities.

While the chimps are no longer in her care, Haddix hasn't exactly pivoted to a lowkey life. As of this writing, she's running a petting zoo with her husband and still brokering exotic animals. The chimps may be out of her life, but it seems Haddix isn't leaving the wild world of animal ownership anytime soon — that is if she manages to sidestep prison, of course.

Tonia Haddix might have been labeled an incompetent animal custodian, but that hasn't stopped her from staying firmly entrenched in the exotic animal trade. According to PETA, she still held an Animal Welfare Act (AWA) license as of December 2024, giving her the green light to broker animals and operate a zoo. Her Facebook posts back it up — Haddix regularly shares updates on her buying, selling, and trading of exotic animals. Alongside her husband Jerry, she also runs the Sunrise Beach Safari Zoo near Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, where visitors can pet and "encounter" animals ranging from alpacas to kangaroos.

But PETA, which counts Pamela Anderson among its celebrity supporters, wasn't letting Haddix off the hook. In a December 2024 press release, the animal rights organization vowed to get her AWA license revoked. The organization also pushed for legal action, asking the court to charge Haddix with perjury and criminal contempt for lying about Tonka's supposed death — armed with receipts from "Chimp Crazy." It also revealed that it was waiting for Haddix to pay the $225,000 in legal fees it had incurred.

Haddix, on the other hand, wasn't giving up without a fight. She revealed that she was holding out hope for a reunion with Tonka and planned to take on PETA headfirst. "I still stand on my promise to Tonka, and I would do anything to protect him from the evil clutches of PETA and the hell hole they placed him in," she shared in a 2022 statement to Fox 2. "And that if the judicial system was just, he never would have left the only home he's ever known."