Jax, a playful, curious young monkey, was always among the first to run to the gate or climb a tree with energy to spare. But today, he was missing. I felt a knot in my stomach and decided to go find him.
After a few minutes of searching, I spotted him under the old mango tree near the far corner of the grounds. He was lying on his side, barely lifting his head. His breathing was shallow, his eyes dull, and his little body weak. My heart sank.
I rushed over and knelt beside him. “Jax? What happened, buddy?” He didn’t respond, just blinked slowly. That’s when I noticed something strange—traces of leftover food near him that he must have eaten alone. It smelled off. Could it have been spoiled? Or worse—poisoned?
Without wasting a second, I scooped Jax into my arms. He was light, too light. His usual spark was gone. I walked quickly—almost ran—toward the clinic area. Every second felt critical.
As I carried him, I whispered to him softly, hoping he could still hear me. “Hold on, Jax. You’re strong. We’re going to help you. Just stay with me.”
At the clinic, we gave him immediate attention. The vet suspected food poisoning based on his symptoms. They began flushing his system and gave him fluids. It was touch and go for a while—Jax trembled, and his little fingers clung weakly to the towel he was wrapped in.
Hours passed like days. We kept checking his heartbeat, watching for any sign of improvement. I stayed right beside him, refusing to leave. I held his hand, rubbed his back, and prayed silently that this wouldn’t be goodbye.
And then… a small sign of hope.
Jax moved his hand just slightly and let out a soft cry. His eyes fluttered open a little wider. He wasn’t out of danger yet, but he was fighting. That small moment gave us strength to keep trying.
As of this evening, Jax is still recovering, but he’s stable. The vet says he has a good chance if he continues to respond well to treatment. We’re keeping a close watch on him and investigating the source of the suspected poisoning to make sure no other animals are at risk.
Jax is a fighter—and we’ll keep fighting for him.
