Freedom to purchase and adopt small monkeys for the purpose of handicap training as well as the enrichment of family was taken away because of the actions of a large ape. Education and balance on laws are key to the success of a law.
Small monkeys are NOT apes, gorillas or baboons, they are simply small monkeys. They can be trained to help the handicap or just allow a childless mother to have someone for which to care. We are not asking for much; just the freedom to learn, adopt, socialize and care for the small monkeys under 35 pounds. Some of these monkeys never reach the size of a guinea pig, so why would you hand down the same law as the one for the chimpanzee known as Travis who was 200 pounds and not a manageble pet for an elderly woman? This ape was given a powerful drug called xanax and was not a good example of the smaller monkeys to which we are referring.
These monkeys do not carry Herpes because they are USDA approved breeders. They do not "fling feces" because they wear diapers or the adoptive parent trains them much like a dog or cat. They do not bite anymore than the puppy that is teething on your furniture, shoes, carpeting, etc. I have gathered documentation and cannot find one incident of the herpes virus from a monkey in Connecticut. Your chances of contracting this virus and 100 times more by having sex with your own partner.
Please do your homework as a lawmaker before you deliver false information about these tiny creatures whose lives benefit with added years to their lifespan when in captivity. They have now jeapordized the privilege of another Connecticut resident who adopted a monkey for the purpose of being trained to help her through cancer. Is that what you wanted? I think not, but that is exactly what you did and now, it should be reversed to a balanced law.
Many men and women love primates but want the ability to adopt a manageable size to incorporate into their families. Marmosets and Bonnet Macaques are never bigger than 25 pounds, much less, 35 pounds.
By signing this petition, you will allow us to do more homework regarding the endangered small monkeys. Pet ownership can have its limitations but lets be realistic about the facts. Whether I decide to ever adopt one, myself is undecided, but I should make the decision and not the uninformed Connecticut lawmakers. Specifically, the law to which we are referring is the Captive Primate Safety Act making it illegal to move monkeys, apes and other non-human primates across state lines in order to sell them.
By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.
Having problems signing this? Let us know.