Primates Don't Belong in People's Houses

 

Dear John, 

 

Since the Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R. 3135/S. 1588) was introduced in May, it has acquired support from dozens of members of Congress. It also received a hearing in the House Natural Resources Committee in July. However, our work is just beginning. We need your help to continue moving this vital bill forward.

 

Nonhuman primates are not pets. They are highly intelligent and typically social wild animals whose basic needs cannot be met when kept in a human home. The Captive Primate Safety Act would ban the private possession of primates and restrict direct contact between the public and these animals.

 

Breeders within the United States provide a continuous supply of baby primates to meet the insatiable demand. The internet is rife with advertisements for primates for sale, and these dealers ship them to buyers around the country. A person can buy virtually any species of monkey or ape, but buyers rarely understand the truth about owning a primate as a pet.

 

The total number of primates kept as pets is unknown due to inadequate governmental oversight under current laws, but estimates are in the thousands. These animals often suffer enormously in captivity: almost all are kept in relative isolation, tethered or in small cages, with inadequate nutrition and little chance to express natural behaviors. They may be forced to endure unnecessary, painful procedures such as tooth extraction in an attempt to reduce potential harm to people.

What You Can Do
Please urge your US representative and senators to cosponsor the Captive Primate Safety Act. Share our alert with family, friends, and co-workers, and encourage them contact their federal lawmakers, too.

 

Thank you for all you do for animals!

 

Sincerely,

 

Cathy Liss

President

 

P.S. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for other important animal protection actions and news. Check out the latest edition of the AWI Quarterly!

 

Photo by HollenderX2

Animal Welfare Institute

900 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20003
(202) 337-2332 | www.awionline.org

 

The Animal Welfare Institute is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. We seek better treatment of animals everywhere: in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild.