WASHINGTON — On the heels of a highly publicized attack of a California man by two chimpanzees who escaped their confinement, U.S. Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rob Simmons (R-CT) today introduced a bill, H.R. 1329, that would ban the interstate transportation of primates for the pet trade. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is calling for swift passage of the "Captive Primate Safety Act" to protect primates as well as public health and safety.
"Monkeys, chimpanzees, and other nonhuman primates belong in the wild, not in our backyards and basements," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "These animals are dangerous, they spread diseases, and they cannot be kept in private homes humanely. We applaud Representatives Johnson and Simmons for their leadership in introducing this important and timely legislation. We urge Congress to pass the Captive Primate Safety Act quickly before the next person is injured or killed by a pet primate."
The bill is similar to the Captive Wildlife Safety Act, which passed Congress unanimously in 2003 without a single dissenting vote, and which bars the interstate commerce in lions, tigers, and other big cats for the pet trade. Like big cats, primates such as chimpanzees and macaque monkeys have bitten and attacked their owners, but the safety threat is arguably even greater: primates can spread dangerous diseases such as yellow fever, monkey pox, Ebola and Marburg virus, tuberculosis, herpes-b, and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), the primate form of HIV. Primates are popular pets, and animal welfare groups estimate there are 15,000 in private hands in the United States. According to the Captive Wild Animal Protection Coalition, nearly 100 people have been injured by primates in the past 10 years, including 29 children.
"When we allow nonhuman primates to be kept as pets in our backyards, we are putting ourselves and our families at risk," said Rep. Johnson, a registered nurse. "These animals are by their very nature, wild and unpredictable. Children can often be injured by these animals, and we can't allow that to happen."
"Nonhuman primates can carry life-threatening diseases, and that puts us all in danger," noted Rep. Simmons. "By banning the interstate commerce of these animals destined for the pet trade, we are keeping our safety, and their safety, in mind."
A number of states already prohibit private ownership of nonhuman primates as pets. Nevertheless, many of these animals move in interstate commerce, and federal legislation is needed. The new bill will prohibit monkeys, marmosets, lemurs, apes (including chimpanzees and orangutans), and other nonhuman primates from being transported across state lines for the pet trade, but will have no impact on zoos and other federally licensed facilities.
"Monkeys, apes, and other primates can wreak havoc in the home because it is not their appropriate environment," said Geza Teleki, primatologist and founder of the Committee for Conservation and Care of Chimpanzees. "People miscalculate their strength and aggressiveness. You might buy a baby and be happy for a while. As the baby grows up, the situation becomes dangerous. People end up abusing and locking up animals to control the situation, which only makes the problem worse."
Pet owners have few options when the long-lived animals become difficult to handle. Accredited zoos will not take them, and reputable sanctuaries are at or near capacity. These animals may end up back in the cycle of breeding and adding to the exotic animal trade.
The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) has long held that wild animals do not make good pets. "Based on our member institutions' experience and expertise with these animals, the AZA firmly believes that there are many species that cannot be properly maintained by individuals without the necessary resources or knowledge," stated Sydney J. Butler, executive director of the AZA. "Those animals can be both a public safety and animal welfare concern. Keeping them as pets without professional veterinary care and husbandry increases the risks of neighbors being injured or contracting diseases."
"The desire to be close to exotic animals is understandable," noted Adam Roberts, vice-president of Born Free USA, a group that along with The HSUS is a member of the Captive Wild Animal Protection Coalition. "But keeping primates as pets is simply unjustifiable. The risk to the animals themselves and the people who live near them is just too great. Wild animals belong in the wild."
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 8.5 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animals and sustainable agriculture. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work. The non-profit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives across the country. On the web at hsus.org.
