Many reported monkey bites have resulted in serious injur

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The Problem With Pet Primates in the United
States

• Presentation to illustrate the scope of the
  problem inherent risks, and to present
  recommended policies as a solution.

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Summary Of U.S. State Laws Regarding Private
Sector Possession Of Nonhuman Primates

• 17 states have no restrictions
• 18 states ban private sector possession
• 7 states require a permit
• 5 states have partial bans banning certain
  species
• 2 states have partial bans certain species
  permits required for other species
• 1 state requires being bonded
• Aside from state laws, many municipalities,
  cities, and/or counties across the United States
  prohibit private possession of nonhuman primates.
  New laws and regulations prohibiting monkeys and
  apes from being kept as pets are being passed
  at unprecedented rates.

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Check www.PetMonkey.Info for updates
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States With No Restrictions On Private Sector
Possession Of Nonhuman Primates
Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
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Nonhuman primates pose safety and health risks to
their possessors and any person coming into
contact with them.

• Nonhuman primates are notorious for harboring
  deadly and contagious diseases such as
  tuberculosis, Hepatitis, and Simian Herpes B.
• Hazards are far greater for the typical person,
  who is most likely unfamiliar with the
  pathogenesis of disease.
• Most private sector primate owners lack the
  knowledge, devotion, and ambition necessary to
  prevent disease transmission from their pet.

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Bites from nonhuman primates can cause severe
lacerations.

• Wounds may become infected, with the potential
  to reach the bone and cause permanent deformity.

Nonhuman primates are not domesticated. Adult
monkeys and apes exhibit aggression and
instinctively bite and scratch.
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Bites from nonhuman primates (cont.)

• Many reported monkey bites have resulted in
  serious injury to the individual who possessed
  the animal, to a neighbor, or to a stranger on
  the street.

It is estimated that for every reported monkey
bite, at least ten bites go unreported.
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Bites from nonhuman primates (cont.)
The woman whose leg is shown to the left wrote to
a list serv I am sending you a picture of what
Boomer (a capuchin) did to me last week and also
to tell you that you were so right when you told
me removing the teeth is no safe guard against
getting hurt. As you can see, I was hurt from
head to toe by him.  I don't know why he got mad,
he just attacked for no reason I can figure out.
He was neutered at 9 months so it was not
hormones! I didn't take anything away from him,
he just all the sudden jumped on me before I even
knew what was happening. I remember you telling
me you can take the teeth and testicles out of a
monkey but not the wild instinct. Now he is alone
in a cage and I fear him.
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Bites from nonhuman primates (cont.)

• This wound was caused by a small female java
  macaque who had been considered a "sweet loving
  pet" for eight years.

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Children are especially vulnerable to being
attacked since monkeys and apes are naturally
inclined to establish dominance hierarchies.

• This nine-year-old Montgomery County, Texas boy
  was playing in his yard when he was suddenly
  attacked by a neighbors pet macaque monkey.
• Of the attack, the boy says, The monkey started
  jumping. He got this arm, then he jumped to this
  arm and started yanking, and going back and forth
  to a leg and both my arms, like, taking turns on
  all of them."

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Inhumane and Unnatural Treatment
The life for so-called pet monkeys and apes is
far removed from what they would experience in
their natural habitat.
Robbed from their natural mothers at birth and
denied the opportunity to live their lives in
accordance with their instincts and with others
of their species, pet monkeys typically have a
dismal and stifling captive existence.
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Inhumane and Unnatural Treatment (cont.)
Individuals possessing primate species often
attempt to change the nature of the monkey/ape
rather than the nature of the care provided.
Such tactics include confinement in small barren
enclosures, chaining, shocking, beating "into
submission," or even painful mutilations, such as
tooth and nail removal.
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Inhumane and Unnatural Treatment (cont.)
Nonhuman primates require special care housing
diet, and maintenance that the average person
cannot provide. When in the hands of private
individuals monkeys and apes typically suffer due
to poor care.
A life in a backyard, basement or garage cage
cannot even begin to meet the instinctual needs
and desires of these intelligent, social animals.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
A quick search on the internet alone reveals
forty-eight web sites which specialize in selling
baby monkeys and apes.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
Semi-adult chimpanzee unrestrained in a public
park. Clothing is unnatural and restrictive to
nonhuman primates.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This little capuchin is still swollen and in pain
from having his teeth extracted.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
White-fronted capuchin unnaturally donning a
dress standing on a childs shoulders.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This infant siamang was pulled from his mother to
be sold as a pet to someone living in a
subdivision.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This irresponsible behavior endangers the life of
the toddler and puts the child and monkey at risk
of disease transmission.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
A bite from this capuchin monkey could easily
sever this childs jugular vein.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This infant chimpanzee should be in the arms of
her mother.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
The adult macaques are housed in parrot cages.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This adult spider monkey is housed in a parrot
cage when she is not brought out to be dressed
and harnessed.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This infant squirrel monkey is destined to an
unnatural captive life.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
The risk of disease transmission between nonhuman
primates and children is great.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This pet macaque in a classroom is likely to
carry Simian Herpes B virus which is nearly
always fatal to humans.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This pet capuchin monkey will never experience
life in a jungle.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
The parents of this boy are irresponsibly
allowing him to be exposed to a wide variety of
risks.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This young chimpanzee in a public park has been
denied the opportunity to coexist with others of
his kind.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This macaque monkey is existing in an unnatural
setting.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This baby spider monkey will never experience the
amazing bond and nurturing his monkey mother
would have offered.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This Celebes macaque will grow to become
unmanageable.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This capuchin monkey is dressed in uncomfortable,
confining clothing for the mere amusement of the
owners.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
These children and nonhuman primates are at risk
of disease transmission.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
These children are being exposed to risks and
learning to be desensitized about the needs of
wild animals.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This chimpanzee is being subjected to an
unnatural environment.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This man is exhibiting irresponsible behavior
with this capuchin monkey.
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Primates in the private sectorPhoto Gallery
This Celebes macaque will begin to exhibit
uncontrollable aggression when she is a bit older.
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Policies and Position Statements

• Importation of nonhuman primates as 'pets' is
  prohibited by the
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control
• The World Organization for Animal Health the
  American Zoological Association the National
  Association of State Public Health Veterinarians,
  and the Council of State and Territorial
  Epidemiologists have position statements opposing
  private sector possession of nonhuman primates.
  However, these policies do not limit domestic
  trade of nonhuman primates as pets.

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Recommended Policies

• The National Association of State Public Health
  Veterinarians recommends federal and state
  legislation prohibiting
• private ownership of NHP
• future commerce in NHP for the pet trade
• privately owned "grandfathered" NHP
• from all public areas or
• in any type of exhibition (except in transport to
  a veterinary facility, or during legal transport)
• from breeding