House Passes Ban on Primates as Pets

[TitsMcGee]

WASHINGTON -- Eight days after a 200-pound chimpanzee critically mauled a woman in Connecticut, the House of Representatives on Tuesday passed legislation to ban the transport of monkeys and apes across state lines for the purpose of selling them as pets.

The legislation to prohibit interstate commerce in primates also passed the House last year, but bill sponsor Rep. Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat, said the "horrific chimpanzee attack" that stunned the U.S. last week would bring "renewed urgency" to the need to pass the bill into law.

The importation of primates for the pet trade has been outlawed since 1975, but Blumenauer said 30 states, including Connecticut, allow the keeping of the animals as pets and it is easy to purchase a primate from exotic animal dealers or over the Internet.

He said there have been at least 100 reports of attacks over the past decade, 29 involving children.

The Humane Society of the United States, which supports the legislation, said nonhuman primates can also pose serious health risks to humans, spreading diseases such as Herpes B and tuberculosis.

"There is no reason for any private citizen to keep a primate as a pet, and this trade is driven by unscrupulous dealers who sell primates across state lines for thousands of dollars," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society.

The measure passed 323-95, with several Republican opponents saying that animal control was a state, rather than federal issue, and that spending federal dollars to prevent interstate commerce would do little to stop animal attacks.

The bill, said Rep. Rob Bishop, a Republican does nothing to prohibit a monkey from biting, such as in the Connecticut incident, "unless the monkey was willing to chase the woman from Connecticut over to New York State." He compared the 100 attacks over 10 years to the 100,000 people who go to the hospital every year with dog bites.

"I would respectfully suggest that having your face ripped off is not the same as just an animal bite, a nip here or scratch there," Blumenauer said. "We are dealing with animals that have the potential of inflicting serious damage and death." He estimated that up to 400 chimpanzees are kept as pets in the United States.

The 14-year-old chimp Travis, owned by 70-year old Sandra Herold was shot and killed after a brutal 12-minute attack on Herold's friend, Charla Nash.

Four teams of surgeons operated on Nash, 55, for more than seven hours to stabilize her before she was transferred Thursday to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. She remains under sedation while being evaluated by doctors.

The bill amends the Lacey Act, first passed in 1900 and amended several times, that stops the importation of potentially dangerous non-native species. It is similar to a law enacted in 2003 that banned interstate commerce in lions, tigers and other big cats for the pet trade.

The measure, which does not affect the purchase of animals by zoos or research centers, now goes to the Senate.

Don't they have anything better to do than tell the people what kind of pets they can have? I feel horrible for the woman who was seriously injured last week, but seriously with the ecomonic turmoil in this country shouldn't they be focused on that?

[jynxxxedangel]

The politicians LOVE this sort of thing..it distracts the hoi polloi from the bigger problems looming over. /straightface

[candyman]

Wow...just as useless as the UN...major crisis, we will do it later...but we need to do something about these chairs, they are lumpy...

Maybe animal control or some other stupid agency should look into this kind of stuff...how many 200lb chimps are really out there anyways?

[pomba gira]

Wow...just as useless as the UN...major crisis, we will do it later...but we need to do something about these chairs, they are lumpy...

Maybe animal control or some other stupid agency should look into this kind of stuff...how many 200lb chimps are really out there anyways?

You'd be surprised. And you might feel a bit differently if one lived next door to you. Local animal control agencies are set up to deal with dogs and native species, not wild animals that some yahoo decided would make the perfect pet. Yeah, this seems like grandstanding coming right after the recent attack... but the exotic pet trade is huge and growing fast. And there really is a problem in many areas with these animals escaping or being dumped by people who discover that an untameable wild beast is a little more than they can handle. Aside from the danger to humans and native species, a lot of the trade is in endangered critters that are being depleted in their native habitats due to demand by exotic pet collectors (Golden Lion Tamarins are one that comes to mind). These are real problems and stiffer laws certainly won't hurt.

[TitsMcGee]

You'd be surprised. And you might feel a bit differently if one lived next door to you. Local animal control agencies are set up to deal with dogs and native species, not wild animals that some yahoo decided would make the perfect pet. Yeah, this seems like grandstanding coming right after the recent attack... but the exotic pet trade is huge and growing fast. And there really is a problem in many areas with these animals escaping or being dumped by people who discover that an untameable wild beast is a little more than they can handle. Aside from the danger to humans and native species, a lot of the trade is in endangered critters that are being depleted in their native habitats due to demand by exotic pet collectors (Golden Lion Tamarins are one that comes to mind). These are real problems and stiffer laws certainly won't hurt.

I totally agree with that, I really do. But I don't think that this was exactly the right time to put through this legislation.

[Michiko_Dreads]

Exotic Animals shouldnt be allowed to be kept as pets in the first place.

Im almost on the verge of going old school Peta on everyone. Im tired of hearing about incidents with animals that arent traditional pets.

Chimps, who in the hell made that legal in the first place????

anything other than:

fish

cats (this doesnt include exotic breeds from who knows where)

dogs

lizards

turtles (no snapping turtles, bad for the kids)

rodents

birds (none of prey)

and the farm animals we raise for a purpose

should be kept as pets.

Anything other than that should be in its natural habitat instead of being domesticated, over bred and/or extinct.

(Yes, I made a list even though those animals listed were wild at one point in time but they became a staple the pet department of life.)

I havent forgot that all animals are animals, domesticated or not, incidents are not avoidable but lets be reasonable about what we bring home.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

We have genetically engineered species of animals that are bread as acceptable pleasure slaves. (cats, dogs etc) Other species we have not have had enough time with. These unsafe species not having the "barbarous" nature bread out of them to an acceptable level. For practical reasons, the potential property being unsafe for the average owner, should be an illegal pleasure slave for all but the most well equipped plantation.

One of the exes was a hardcore animal rights... "bitch-er" lets say, not that she ever did anything so i hesitate to use the term activist. Her influence kinda brainwashed me. Its an extremist (note: uber mega extreme) interpretation of "animal rights." vs. "human rights". (The quotes indicates a nod to the fact that we are all animals)

Not that I buy into any of the above, just food for thought I've been chewing on for nearly a decade.

[Scary Guy]

"turtles (no snapping turtles, bad for the kids)

birds (none of prey)"

No snapping turtles? Seriously? It's not like they can flip around and bite you or you can die from it.

Also birds of prey should be allowed for those who like to hunt.

Personally I think ALL animals should be allowed as long as the person can properly care for them.

As far as the primates go no one has even addressed the medical uses of chimps. Trained properly the can be a large help to the disabled.

Although maybe they're scared of a "Planet of the Apes" type scenario where they take over then keep US as pets. Who the hell knows what goes on in their heads though since politicians are insane.

[Homicidalheathen]

I think this is a good thing to try to stop this but, If you have an animal illegally well now what though...shoot it? thats the bad thing. People will still do it but when it doesn't work out...since its illegal...well they just might shoot it to get rid of it. Your not going to stop everyone.

Make it illegal and they will just shoot them when it doesn't work out.

[phee]

Does this mean that Rayne has to get rid of me??? *cries*

[Michiko_Dreads]

"turtles (no snapping turtles, bad for the kids)

birds (none of prey)"

No snapping turtles? Seriously? It's not like they can flip around and bite you or you can die from it.

Also birds of prey should be allowed for those who like to hunt.

Personally I think ALL animals should be allowed as long as the person can properly care for them.

As far as the primates go no one has even addressed the medical uses of chimps. Trained properly the can be a large help to the disabled.

Although maybe they're scared of a "Planet of the Apes" type scenario where they take over then keep US as pets. Who the hell knows what goes on in their heads though since politicians are insane.

I say no snapping turtles because it has recently been shown that children with snapping turtles get sick more often than kids without reptiles.

I dont believe that kids under twelve should have reptiles as pets due to the sanitary issues.

I dont think anyone should have birds of prey. I dont see birds of prey being any use to people besides hunting but people who dont hunt that really want a bird of prey will go out and get a license to hunt and I just dont want to see our precious owls, hawks, falcons, condors become trophy pets. So I would make them illegal or have people enter special programs to have birds of prey.

[pomba gira]

I say no snapping turtles because it has recently been shown that children with snapping turtles get sick more often than kids without reptiles.

I dont believe that kids under twelve should have reptiles as pets due to the sanitary issues.

This is true. All turtles pretty much carry salmonella, and there is a risk of salmonella from other reptiles as well. I have reptiles in my classroom but my students are not ordinarily allowed to handle them... on the rare occasion they do, I make sure they use hand sanitizer before and after.

AFA snapping turtles not being able to flip around & bite... I have to question that. Second Hubby & I once tried unsuccessfully to rescue a big one (about 14" dia) from a busy road... neither of us got bitten but a couple attempts to grab it convinced us that it was faster than either of us.

And the original topic was primates being used as PETS, not for research or as helper animals. I would think anyone who has a helper primate would be well-trained in how to safely interact with it. From what I've read, I get the feeling that the owner of the attack chimp was totally unable to handle the thing.

"Properly qualified"... so who decides that? I was appalled to see a baby nile monitor (grow to 6' plus, foul temper, basically untamable, serrated teeth & locking jaw, septic mouth, sharp claws, leg-breaking tail...) for sale at a Detroit Pet Supplies Plus lately. Dollars to donuts that thing ends up in the sewer a year from now when it hits 3' and becomes unmanageable. Are the mostly-clueless employees I've dealt with at that particular store really qualified to decide, whether a customer is qualified to own this animal? Don't really think so.

[TitsMcGee]

AFA snapping turtles not being able to flip around & bite... I have to question that. Second Hubby & I once tried unsuccessfully to rescue a big one (about 14" dia) from a busy road... neither of us got bitten but a couple attempts to grab it convinced us that it was faster than either of us.

Snapping turtles can take off fingers. And their necks streatches pretty damn far like to their sides. If you do happen to encounter one, either pick it up by the back of it's shell by it's tail but NOT by the tail as that can actually break its spine and kill it, or push it along with a stick or something longer out of your car so if it happens to try and bite it won't get you.

[n0Mad]

Can I have a human as a pet?

[TitsMcGee]

Can I have a human as a pet?

sure why not

[pomba gira]

Snapping turtles can take off fingers. And their necks streatches pretty damn far like to their sides. If you do happen to encounter one, either pick it up by the back of it's shell by it's tail but NOT by the tail as that can actually break its spine and kill it, or push it along with a stick or something longer out of your car so if it happens to try and bite it won't get you.

That's what we ended up doing... pushing it with a stick. I'd heard that they would latch onto a stick and you could carry them that way but apparently the turtle hadn't heard that one. So we ended up shoving it across the road with the stick. Unfortunately we pushed it to the wrong side of the road so as we drove off it was already starting back across. Hope she made it.

[Rev.Reverence]

Pomba....I think that the case in question (the most recent one)...had a 14 yr old Chimp living with an 80 year old Lady...

...SO...when she got it...NOW..I'll ASSUME for this conversation sake that she IS qualified to care for it ie. knows what to feed it, how much, can afford it...knows what it's general health entails...& HAS THE ROOM!

NOW...This was not JUST a chimp...

Type: Mammal

Diet: Omnivore

Average lifespan in the wild: 45 years

Size: 4 to 5.5 ft (1.2 to 1.7 m)

Weight: 70 to 130 lbs (32 to 60 kg)

Group name: Community

Protection status: Endangered

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

Females reach reproductive age at 13, while males are not considered adults until they are 16 years old.

It was a great-big-fat-American chimp.....in puberty...in it's home...(MAYBE coming down off of Xanax was it?)(well that's an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety drug)(that'll make ya' a bit "EDGY" if ya' know what I mean).....

...& it DOES NOT SEEM (just by the weight/age ratio) that it was well cared for at all...it was IMMENSELY overweight...

SO...my question is...what happened to make it go into the fight reflex...

I do think that we should be allowed to keep animals living with us...but peoples think they OWN an animal...hahaha...quite the other way around as I see it! They are brought into our homes to be a part of the family...but are they property? NO. They are not property...not anymore than a child is property of a parent...they are family.

BUT...when the animal is too big/wild to control by the members household then it is an inappropriate animal to live in a house with. This goes for small peoples and BIG DOGS as well...if your dog can drag you around like you were a little kid...you need a smaller dog.

[candyman]

Maybe it wasn't what they thought it was...maybe Michael Moore was over there pulling his usual stunts...or he was trying to engage in what he thinks sex is...it would explain the weight, the looks, and probably the smell...

[n0Mad]

sure why not

YAY!

[taysteewonderbunny]

I don't mind the ban at all. And not just because of the potential protection of unwary humans, but for the sake of the animals themselves. Life is not Disney. We have this tendency (I include myself in this we--just listen to me rave about my Pachinko) to anthropomorphize animals. Which is all fine and dandy until we make pets of animals whose capabilities for violent acts and complex social demands from their own species simply can not be replicated in a cage and human home. Many larger snakes, all bears, large cats and some smaller wild cats, wolves, coyotes, marine mammals and apes I think fit into these categories. If you really love these animals, support the kinds of refuges that both enable their perpetuation and preserve as close to a natural environment for them as possible; DON'T bring them into your living room.

[prick]

Ha! now I cant be any of your pets.

[pomba gira]

I don't mind the ban at all. And not just because of the potential protection of unwary humans, but for the sake of the animals themselves. Life is not Disney. We have this tendency (I include myself in this we--just listen to me rave about my Pachinko) to anthropomorphize animals. Which is all fine and dandy until we make pets of animals whose capabilities for violent acts and complex social demands from their own species simply can not be replicated in a cage and human home. Many larger snakes, all bears, large cats and some smaller wild cats, wolves, coyotes, marine mammals and apes I think fit into these categories. If you really love these animals, support the kinds of refuges that both enable their perpetuation and preserve as close to a natural environment for them as possible; DON'T bring them into your living room.

Well said. Especially the "complex social demands from their own species" part. With many species it takes a lot of experience to even recognize challenge or potentially aggressive behavior, let alone know how to respond to it. Especially if that behavior has become distorted because the animal isn't among its own kind in a normal social setting. That chimp was probably giving challenge/aggressive signals for weeks before the attack, and the lady just didn't know enough to realize it.

[jynxxxedangel]

BUT...when the animal is too big/wild to control by the members household then it is an inappropriate animal to live in a house with. This goes for small peoples and BIG DOGS as well...if your dog can drag you around like you were a little kid...you need a smaller dog.

Agreed. No one should own any animal they cannot control. Large dogs are a perfect example.

I knew a couple who had a breeding pair of HUGE Rotts-- the dog weighed about 140 lbs, and the bitch 110, easy. The man had owned the dogs before the woman came along, and the dogs did not think of her as alpha. The couple also had a small child, of about two or three years old, which made me incredibly nervous. The husband was a nationwide truck driver, and the wife was often left alone with those dogs.

Well, to make a long story short, the dog and bitch were scrapping amongst themselves one day, and the wife foolishly tried to break it up. She ended up severely maimed. Both dogs viciously attacked her, with the child watching. I always had a premonition something like that would happen.

Both dogs ended up being put down, because of her stupid mistake. You should NEVER try to break up a dogfight with your hands, and especially not one between two dogs that are larger than yourself! This foolish woman found out the hard way. I never liked those dogs in the first place-- they were aggressive and poorly-trained, and they made me uneasy.

So yes, never keep any animal around that you cannot control..especially large primates, unaltered male livestock, bears, big cats, or guard dogs.

[Rev.Reverence]

I still want a helper monkey...you know...like a Reese or a Capuchin...it can be my side kick..(then I won't get so lonely so often).....I'll teach it to fetch my herbal extracts...they can learn to read right???

[pomba gira]

I still want a helper monkey...you know...like a Reese or a Capuchin...it can be my side kick..(then I won't get so lonely so often).....I'll teach it to fetch my herbal extracts...they can learn to read right???

Haha be careful... what's that movie where the experimentally-augmented helper monkey goes berserk and starts cleverly killing anyone who is a rival for her quadriplegic owner's attention? Hilarious scene at the end where the owner lures the monkey onto his lap, then grabs her in his teeth and starts shaking her like a terrier with a rat. It's so absurd... in between laughing you can't help but feel sorry for the poor actor who has to sit in a wheelchair and shake a stuffed monkey with his teeth.

They can't learn to read BUT they can recognize symbols and color coding. And I think you mean "rhesus"? (sorry, not working today so gotta get my teacher on somehow!) which I ISTR was the species in the movie.