The #1 source for news about monkeys and apes

[Rufus Cartwright <rufus.cartwright AT gmail.com>]

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/feb2006/nf2006027_8130_db016.htm

A federal bill that would regulate primate ownership has owners of the
exotic pets fuming -- and fighting back


When Curious George swings into movie theaters on Feb. 10, it will
surely tempt a few people to get a pet monkey. Be forewarned. You're
likely to be stepping into a messy, difficult proposition -- as well
as a battle between pet owners and those who want to regulate the
trade in unusual pets.
On the front lines of the conflict are people like Houston
suburbanites Joseph and Cindy Kirkland. When Joseph, the owner of an
oil-and-gas equipment-inspection company, brought home his first
black-capped capuchin six years ago, he says he never dreamed that
monkeys would become a consuming part of his life. Now he and his wife
watch TV with their three capuchins and take vacations to owner-pet
gatherings, called monkey picnics. Joseph Kirkland is now running for
president of the nonprofit Simian Society of America, a group
promoting the welfare of monkeys in captivity, especially those in
private ownership.

CHIMP SHOT.  In September, the Kirklands hosted a small monkey picnic
attended by members of Simply Simian, a tiny Winnie (Tex.)-based group
that hopes eventually to establish a monkey foster home. Between a
barbecue lunch and playing with the animals, the conversation turned
to the people who want to take their monkeys away.

Last March, two chimpanzees escaped their cage in a California
sanctuary and mauled a man's face, foot, and genitals. The attack
spurred U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Tex.) to sponsor the
Captive Primate Safety Act, which would prohibit interstate commerce
in pet primates. Weeks later, Jim Jeffords (I.-Vt.) introduced a
corresponding bill in the Senate. While probably not the most urgent
issue on the Congressional agenda, the bill could pass. A similar law
regulating the trade of certain big cat species, including lions and
tigers, won unanimous approval in 2003.

Feeling cornered and friendless, some monkey owners are trying to
fight back. In its vitriol, the debate over monkey ownership apes the
bitterest disputes of the culture war, while providing a glimpse into
how business and political interests can appear around even obscure
matters.

PET PROJECTS.  Combined with an existing ban on importing pet monkeys,
the proposed bill -- an amendment to the Lacey Act that protects
animals from illegal trade -- would make it increasingly difficult for
private citizens to buy the animals. The bill notes that the nation's
15,000 pet primates -- an estimate many owners say is high -- rarely
receive proper care. In a prepared statement, Johnson said monkeys
don't belong in homes "because they can spread life-threatening
disease and inflict serious injury."

While groups such as the Humane Society of the United States support
the bill, pet groups are calling on their members to voice their
opposition. Jeanne Hall, president of the Phoenix Exotic Wildlife
Assn., based in Chehalis, Wash., called the bill another step in the
"piecemeal banning of exotics." And the trend could spread, as
animal-rights activists advocate new norms of acceptable pet
ownership.

No one is about to take away Fido and Fluffy, but changes will not
necessarily be limited to the most outlandish pets. For example, more
than 4 million U.S. households have reptiles, from box turtles to
pythons, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Assn.
(APPMA), but animal-rights groups say owning them is inhumane.

Marshall Meyers, executive vice-president of the Pet Industry Joint
Advisory Council (PIJAC), a trade association, says all pets should be
allowed, with permits required for certain species. "The moment you
start to outlaw things you create a market and drive it underground."
He dismisses the objections to certain pets as a minor, ongoing
nuisance faced by the industry, which APPMA estimates at $35.9 billion
in 2005.

MONKEY HOUSE.  Owning a monkey is not for the lazy or squeamish. Left
unsupervised, they tend to escape or inflict serious property damage.
They cannot be trusted around children. "Monkey people," as owners
proudly call themselves, like to compare their animals to mischievous
toddlers. Maybe, but in 30 years these babies will still be swinging
from the ceiling fan.

Not surprisingly, monkeys exhaust some of their owners. Last year,
Janet Gengelbach of Plattsburg, Mo., gave her macaque of eight years
to a sanctuary. At sexual maturity, the once "adorable" Mandy grew
aggressive. She sometimes bit as she pursued the household's "alpha
male," Gengelbach's husband, David.

Spending her days in a cage watching TV, Mandy gained weight. "They're
such social animals, and we kind of felt guilty," Janet Gengelbach
says. And monkeys are expensive. After buying Mandy for $9,000 and
providing endless baby formula and diapers, the couple joked about
listing her as a tax write-off.

SODA JERK.  At the monkey picnic, the Kirklands' visitors hoped to
impress upon a visiting reporter that with proper diligence and care
private citizens can responsibly keep monkeys. Around Daisy you want
to believe them.

A white-throated capuchin belonging to a guest, she charmed the room,
nuzzling on shoulders and hopping on laps. Daisy's every gesture
inspired "aw"s, while less predictable monkeys with bigger teeth
cackled in their cages. Daisy also knew to take advantage of her
freedom: Preying on the unsuspecting reporter, she picked up his can
of Dr. Pepper, chugged about half, then regurgitated it.

Currently, law-abiding primate owners can acquire their pets from
breeders or from homes that can no longer keep them. So named because
their fur resembles a monk's cowl, capuchins like Daisy are popular
pets because they're lively, small (about 10 pounds), and probably
because one made appearances on the sitcom Friends as the pet Marcel.
Nonetheless, armed with opposable thumbs and prehensile tails, they
have an almost unlimited capacity for causing havoc.

LOVE MONKEY.  For the time being, Simply Simian's top priority is
opposing the Captive Primate Safety Act through its Responsible,
Ethical Pet Ownership-Political Action Committee (REPO-PAC). The
group's activities include auctioning monkey-themed gear on eBay (EBAY
), and publishing a newsletter that the organization says has more
than 175 subscribers.

Like PIJAC, Simply Simian expresses support for tighter restrictions
on monkey ownership. Regulations vary by state, with some banning pet
monkeys outright.

Some people are seeing the conflict over primate ownership as
something larger than monkey business -- a question of government
power. Taking a libertarian view, Joseph Kirkland doesn't think he
should be punished for the perceived mistakes of other monkey owners.
An National Rifle Association member, he channels that group's
resentment toward people who want to legislate his life. "Just like my
gun," he says, "They're going to have to pry my monkey from my cold,
dead hand."

But owning a monkey isn't inherently political. The Kirklands and
others associated with Simply Simian seem absolutely devoted to their
pets, a feeling apparently deepened by the all-consuming routine of
caring for them.

"BETTER OFF DEAD."  Mainstream conservation groups adamantly oppose
owning wild animals, but Simply Simian focuses its ire on
animal-rights activists, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals (PETA) -- a choice that might be likened to criticizing
Michael Moore instead of Al Gore. PETA believes that animals have
rights similar to humans, while Simply Simian members think of their
monkeys more like valuable property.

Lisa Wathne, a PETA "captive exotic animal specialist" calls buying
pet monkeys a "slave trade." The monkey owners keep their pets "mostly
as an ego boost" and should release them to accredited sanctuaries.
Many monkeys, she continues, "would be better off dead" -- euthanized
-- than in private homes.

The handful of people involved with Simply Simian are also learning
about special interests as a way to support their cause. The REPO-PAC
Web site appropriates material compiled by the Center for Consumer
Freedom, a group representing the restaurant industry that produces
Web sites such as "PETA Kills Animals." (The restaurant industry has
its own beef with PETA.) The center says it supports consumer rights.
However, a spokesman says the group did not take a position on whether
consumers have the freedom to own monkeys.

CHEEKY MONKEY.  There are plenty of horror stories about indignities
and abuse suffered by pet monkeys, but can they ever live well in
private ownership? The Kirklands' pets live and play in cages suitable
for a modest zoo. After their daily baths, Cindy Kirkland dries them
with hot towels. They are spoiled monkeys. When necessary, the
Kirklands drive hours to an appropriate veterinarian; one of the
animals has diabetes.

Simian statues, pictures, and stuffed animals cover virtually every
surface of the Kirkland's home. And the rear of the family Hummer
displays pro-monkey bumper stickers beside decals urging support for
U.S. troops. Why such passion? Cindy Kirkland answers simply: "Monkeys
make me smile."