History

In 1993, sanctuary founder Linda Barkley accepted a female rhesus macaque monkey named Mindy Sue. The aging monkey suffered from a number of painful conditions and as Linda desperately tried to save her life she witnessed, first-hand, the intelligence, strength and awareness that was Mindy Sue. After Mindy’s passing, Linda named the organization in her memory (Mindy’s Memory Primate Sanctuary) and began caring for additional monkeys needing permanent placement. The sanctuary quickly grew to meet the demand for quality homes and was formally registered as a non-profit organization in 1998.

In 2018, the organization’s name was changed to better reflect the nature of our work and enhance recognition of our mission.

Since its establishment, Mindy’s Memory (now the Oklahoma Primate Sanctuary) has provided compassionate, quality care to hundreds of primates in need who otherwise might have been destroyed, a tradition of compassion that carries on today.