Protect Nonhuman Primates--Support the Captive Primate Safety Act

S. 1498 and H.R. 2964%u2014The Captive Primate Safety Act
Sponsor(s):  Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA); Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
ASPCA Position: Support
Action Needed:  Send a letter to your U.S. senators and representative urging them to support the Captive Primate Safety Act.

Update, 11/19/07: S. 1498 has come out of the Environment and Public Works Committee and now must be considered by the full Senate. Unfortunately, the House version of the bill (H.R. 2964) has not seen any activity in recent months. Please send the letter below, which will remind your federal representatives that this issue is important to you.

The Captive Primate Safety Act would bar interstate commerce of nonhuman primates for the pet trade, including monkeys, apes, marmosets and lemurs. This vital legislation would protect the public and captive primates from the dangers that result when these exotic animals are sold as pets.

Nonhuman primates pose a number of dangers to the public. First, they carry viruses and diseases that can be transmitted to humans, including Ebola virus, Herpes B virus, monkeypox, simian immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis and yellow fever. Because of these health risks, it already is illegal to import nonhuman primates into the country for the pet trade. However, primates already in the United States may be moved in interstate commerce and sold as pets. The Captive Primate Safety Act will close this loophole in current law.

Second, primates typically do not make good pets because they often become aggressive as they get older and stronger. As infants, they may appear cooperative and easy to handle, but as they grow, they can easily overpower humans and may lash out unpredictably when frightened or frustrated. Biting and scratching are normal behaviors for these animals, and their large teeth can inflict serious injury.

In addition to the dangers nonhuman primates pose to the public, they often do not receive proper care when they are kept as pets. Captive primates require specific diets, companionship of other nonhuman primates and large enclosures that allow for climbing and swinging. Unfortunately, most pet owners do not meet these needs%u2014and as a result, captive primates often live in inadequate conditions.

S. 1498 and H.R. 2964 send an important message to the public that primates should not be sold as pets. Please take action now by urging your U.S. senators and representative to support and cosponsor this important legislation.

Your letter will be sent to:

• Your Senators
• Your Representative

As a concerned constituent, I am writing to urge you to support and cosponsor S. 1498/H.R. 2964, the Captive Primate Safety Act. This important legislation would bar the interstate movement of nonhuman primates for the pet trade, including chimpanzees, macaques, capuchins, monkeys and other primates. The Centers for Disease Control already restricts importation of primates as pets into the U.S., but there is no corresponding federal regulation prohibiting interstate movement of these animals.
Nonhuman primates pose a number of dangers to the public. First, they carry viruses and diseases that can be transmitted to humans, including Ebola virus, Herpes B virus, monkeypox, simian immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis and yellow fever. Animals who present such a risk should not be kept in private homes with direct access to members of the public.
Second, primates typically do not make good pets because they often become aggressive as they grow older and stronger. As infants, they may appear cooperative and easy to handle, but as they grow, they can easily overpower humans and may lash out unpredictably when frightened or frustrated. Biting and scratching are normal behaviors for these animals, and their large teeth can inflict serious injury.
In addition to the dangers nonhuman primates pose to the public, they often do not receive proper care when they are kept as pets. Captive primates require specific diets, companionship of other nonhuman primates, and large enclosures that allow for climbing and swinging. Unfortunately, most pet owners do not meet these needs, and as a result, captive primates often live in inadequate conditions.
Nonhuman primates are wild animals, and as such, they belong in the wild. The risk to the animals themselves and to the public is too great to justify keeping these creatures as pets. Therefore, I urge you to support and cosponsor S. 1498/H.R. 2964 to protect primates and people throughout the country.