A Missouri woman, known for her appearance in the HBO documentary “Chimp Crazy,” has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for perjury and obstruction of justice in a case involving the alleged mistreatment of chimpanzees.

Tonia Haddix, 56, received her sentence on Thursday, which includes three years of supervised release following her incarceration. The facts, as we know them, are these: Haddix operated a primate facility in Festus, Missouri, and became embroiled in legal troubles when the animal rights organization PETA filed a lawsuit nearly a decade ago.

The lawsuit alleged that Haddix was keeping chimpanzees in substandard conditions. One of these primates, Tonka, had a claim to fame, having appeared in the 1997 films “Buddy” and “George of the Jungle.” Actor Alan Cumming, who co-starred with Tonka, publicly advocated for the chimpanzee’s relocation.

Haddix agreed to a consent decree in 2020, committing to transfer four chimpanzees to a sanctuary in Florida while retaining three others, including Tonka. However, when authorities determined she had not complied with this agreement, they moved to remove the remaining chimpanzees in 2021.

This development follows earlier reports that Haddix claimed Tonka had died and been cremated. According to court records, she stated, “I wanted to keep trying to save Tonka if l could. But then he just died on his own, so there was no saving him.” The evidence suggests this was not the case.

PETA’s discovery of Tonka alive in Haddix’s basement in 2022 led to her admission of deception. She told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that her actions were intended to protect Tonka from what she termed “the evil clutches of PETA.”

Just last month, investigators reported finding another chimpanzee in Haddix’s basement, violating court orders. This led to her arrest and the revocation of her bond.

Prosecutors have emphasized Haddix’s lack of remorse and continued defiance of court authority. Her defense attorney, citing a history of childhood abuse and difficult marriages, has appealed for leniency, stating, “This life taught her a clear lesson: humans are unpredictable and are not frequently safe or trustworthy.”

PETA has expressed approval of the sentence, asserting that it prevents Haddix from causing harm to other chimpanzees. This raises important questions about the balance between animal welfare and individual rights in our society.