[monkeywire] Update: Woman Continues Fight To Bring Monkey Home (Video)
Carrie McLaren
temporary181 at stayfreemagazine.org
Thu Jun 7 14:45:40 EDT 2007
Md. Woman Fights To Get Pet Monkey Back Home
Video:
http://wjz.com/seenon/local_story_157225621.html
Jun 6, 2007
(WJZ) ROCKVILLE, Md. An unusual battle continued
Wednesday night for a Maryland woman fighting to
get her pet monkey back.
As Kathryn Brown reports, the monkey known as
'Armani' was seized by animal control weeks ago
and his future is currently hanging in the
balance.
For Elise Gazewitz, the pictures of her beloved pet are bittersweet.
Three weeks ago, animal control officials seized
the monkey from Gazewitz's Rockville home,
claiming he is a wild animal that cannot be kept
as a pet.
"It's very hard to just tear something that is
screaming, off your body," said Gazewitz. That's
what she said happened when officials came to
take Armani.
Despite the wild scene that took place when
officials took Armani away, Gazewitz said the
capuchan monkey is remarkably tamable.
She also argued during a hearing Wednesday that
Montgomery County officials should have given her
at least 10 days to find another legal place for
the monkey out of state.
But associate Montgomery County attorney William Snoddy has another view.
"Essentially everyone is on notice of what the
law is. So if you have a monkey or animal that's
illegal to possess, [you will be charged]," said
Snoddy.
Montgomery County code bans all animals of an
"untamable disposition," including those with
"characteristics that reflect domestication and
taming."
Until the board hearing the case decides, Armani
will continue staying at the Catoctin Zoo in
Thurmont.
Meanwhile, a $4,000 addition to the room, which
was built for Armani, remains empty. The monkey's
toys and baby clothes are still laid out for him,
waiting for the monkey to return.
"For an animal lover that knows how much you love
your animal, you would fight to get them back,"
said Gazewitz.
After Wednesday's hearing, Armani's future was
still up in the air, with the possibility of him
being returned to his owner or being donated to a
monkey sanctuary, still undecided.
The Montgomery County board ruling on the case
said it would make a decision in the next couple
of weeks.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
More information about the Monkeywire
mailing list