Support the Captive Primate Safety Act

There are an estimated 15,000 monkeys and other primates in private hands in the United States. Sadly, many primates kept as pets end up abused or neglected. They are often acquired as infants, and as they grow, they can become too dangerous to handle. The animals may end up confined to small cages, sold to roadside zoos, or back in the exotic animal trade for breeding. Additionally, nonhuman primates can spread dangerous diseases such as herpes B virus, tuberculosis, and monkeypox.

The Captive Primate Safety Act, which prohibits interstate and foreign commerce in primates as pets, recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives by an overwhelming vote of 302 to 96. Please contact your two U.S. senators to urge them to support the Captive Primate Safety Act and do all that they can to pass this important legislation.