The #1 source for news about monkeys and apes

[Jack Szwergold <jack AT royaljournal.com>]

The petition is real.  Charles Grodin is talking about on 60 Minutes right
now.  As a Jew and someone who likes monkeys, we must allow the Flikshtein
Family of Brooklyn, New York, to keep their Pet Monkey "Cookie".

http://petitiononline.com/cookie/petition.html

This Petition will be sent to the following:

John P. Cahill, Commissioner of the NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation
(DEC)
Gavin J. Donohue, Executive Deputy Commissioner of the NY DEC
George E. Pataki, Governor of New York
Eliot Spitzer, Attorney General of New York

This petition reads:

The NY Supreme Court handed down a decision in October 1999 to give power
to the NY Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to remove
"Cookie", an endangered Diana Guenon monkey, from its owners Roman and Inna
Flikshtein of Brooklyn.

We, the undersigned, find this ruling to be both unjust and insensitive.
Cookie has a family which cares deeply for her and has spent the past 5
years with them. She can no longer breed due to her being sterilized and
can no longer protect herself from other monkeys due to the removal of her
canine teeth. There is no justifiable reason to remove this animal from
this family.

Cookie is, indeed, a Flikstein family member. She eats with her family,
takes walks with them, swims with them, and enjoys their company.

We demand that the NY Department of Environmental Conservation discontinue
its repeated warnings of removal of this animal from its family. Public
opinion is strongly behind letting the Flikshteins keep this pet. Inna
Flikshtein has stated that she is so desperate to keep Cookie that she is
willing to go to jail if this removal happens. This animal was purchased
legally and should now be allowed to live a peaceful life with the only
family she has ever known.

The fact remains that Cookie was born in Florida; not illegally imported.
The breeder in Florida should be commended for being able to breed these
wonderful animals. The Detroit Zoo could gain much insight by learning the
techniques which this breeder in Florida uses in order to protect this
species for future generations.

The illegal trade of wild animals must be halted but for the State of New
York to use this as an example is an embarrassment. Please show compassion
for both the Flikshtein family and for Cookie and let them continue to live
their lives peacefully together.

For more information and updates on this story, please go to:
http://www.geocities.com/savecookie

Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned