Raids in Louisiana and elsewhere have grown since an Ohio man freed his personal zoo of lions, tigers, zebras, bears and monkeys before committing suicide. The facial crushing of a Connecticut woman by a chimpanzee in 2009 also highlighted the dangers of keeping wild animals in residential neighborhoods. It is not known why the state seized the monkey a second time. Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish 14:300 ff: “Intent: City Council notes and states that wild or exotic animals often pose a serious threat to human health and safety and can cause serious environmental damage. These animals have very specific biological needs that are best met in their natural environment. If it is necessary to keep them in captivity, they should be under the supervision of qualified zoological keepers or competent professional keepers. In addition, it is inappropriate and cruel to include them in an exhibition, act or exhibition that causes them to behave abnormally or exposes the public to potential harm. It is illegal to own, possess, sell or keep a wild or exotic animal as a pet in the parish, subject to the grandfather clause of Article 14:304. It is illegal to keep wild or exotic animals for exhibition, with the exception of zoos, circuses, veterinary clinics, certain animal exhibitions, and government institutions accredited by the AZA. In addition, no one may sponsor, promote or train a wild or exotic animal, or participate as a bystander in activities in which a wild or exotic animal exhibits unnatural behavior or is mentally or physically harassed, abused, or mentally or physically stressed or has the potential to harm a human.
This prohibition applies to activities that take place on public or private lands, regardless of the purpose of the activities and regardless of whether they are carried out for free or for remuneration. (Order no. 9634 § 1, 5-26-93) Louisiana has taken a persistent approach. In 2003, lawmakers passed a law banning exotic animals as pets, but allowing people who already owned monkeys to keep them. From 2006, owners had to obtain permits, keep their animals away from the public and undergo annual veterinary checks. There were only about 20 households in Louisiana with wild animals, all monkeys, according to state officials. In 2012, 19 states had absolute bans on private monkey ownership. These are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming. If you live in one of these states and your heart is fixed on a monkey friend, you may need to think about moving. Because of the danger associated with pet ownership, some states completely prohibit the possession of wild or exotic animals, while most simply limit ownership to certain species. For example, South Carolina prohibits the possession of lions as pets, but you can still own a monkey. In Arkansas, you can own bobcats, but no more than six at a time.
South Dakota allows you to keep a bear on your property, but domestic pigs are prohibited. Connecticut has a grandfathering system for all monkeys that belonged prior to 1/10/2010, but no longer allows permits. In Illinois, residents can only own a capuchin monkey if they have a service or permanent motor disability. Any other form of private property is prohibited. Veterinarians and primate experts generally agree that monkeys – like all wild animals – should not be adopted as pets. CHURCH POINT, Louisiana. A Louisiana woman is struggling to retrieve her pet monkey after state officials confiscated the animal. If an animal is not prohibited or does not require a permit, it may be kept as a pet. However, no person may own more than 6 animals of any kind and not more than 25 wild animals at a time. Coatimundi bred in captivity can be kept as pets, but proof of legal acquisition is required. No county west of the Pecos River with a population of less than 25,000 requires a permit. Some imported birds must have legal import documents, which excludes them from the need for a license, including: Pennsylvania does not list exotic animals that are legal to possess without a permit.
Other restrictions include the type of habitat, enclosure, and environment you can provide for your pet monkey, with minimum requirements for acreage and space for a healthy and thriving pet monkey. Under Section 102.20 of the State Penal Code, it is illegal for any person to kill (or acquire for the purpose of killing) zoo or circus animals, including monkeys, for sporting purposes. This ban also extends to zoos and circuses, which are not allowed to bring their unwanted animals into shops or activities where animals can be killed for sporting purposes. Anyone who violates this law can be fined up to $500, jailed for up to six months, or both. [27] They adopted three other capuchin monkeys – Meeko Mae, Sara Jo and Hayley Suzanne – and went a bit crazy about monkeys. Now, monkey owners in Louisiana are accusing the state of intimidation tactics and illegal confiscation of monkeys. They cite at least three cases since 2009 in which monkeys have been seized. Since April 20, 2006, it has been illegal to import, possess, buy or sell monkeys (or other non-human primates) for use as pets.
The rules of the CFLW provide an exemption for anyone who immediately preceded the 20th anniversary of the CFLW. April 2006 owned a monkey, has a valid LDWF approval, and meets the other Agency requirements described in Section IIA above. The couple feared the monkeys would be confiscated and sent to a zoo upon their return to DeRidder, Louisiana. “We felt sorry for her,” Donita Clark said.