The lives of ‘pet’ monkeys and apes differ greatly from those they would have in their natural setting. It is cruel to have monkeys as pets for the following reasons:
‘Pet’ monkeys are often deprived of their natural moms at birth and denied the ability to spend their lives in line with their instincts and with others of their species.
A fast online search yields forty-eight websites that specialize in selling young monkeys and apes.
The newborn siamang was taken from his mother and sold as a ‘pet’ to a subdivision resident. It should be in her mother’s arms.
The ‘pet’ monkeys will never live in the forest.
The newborn spider monkey will never know the incredible relationship and love that his monkey mother would have provided.
Individuals who own primates often try to modify the character of the monkey/ape rather than the nature of the care offered.
Containment in tiny barren enclosures, chaining, startling, whipping “into submission,” or even excruciating mutilations such as tooth and nail removal are examples of such practices.
A white-fronted capuchin wearing a dress and standing on a child’s shoulders for school visits. Nonhuman primates find clothing odd and restricting.
This little capuchin is still bloated and in discomfort as a result of having his teeth pulled.
These youngsters are being exposed to danger and are becoming desensitized to the demands of wild animals.
For the owners’ entertainment, this capuchin monkey is clothed in unpleasant, restrictive attire.
Nonhuman primates need specialized care, including housing, nutrition, and upkeep, which the normal person cannot supply.
Monkeys and apes frequently suffer from inadequate treatment while in the hands of private persons.
Life in a backyard, cellar, or garage cage cannot begin to match these clever, gregarious creatures’ inherent wants and aspirations.
When they are not clothed and tethered, many adult monkeys are kept in a parrot cage.
Disease transmission is a concern for these youngsters and nonhuman primates.
There is a high danger of illness transmission between nonhuman primates and children.
Pet monkeys can transmit diseases to humans, and vice versa.
Having pet monkeys visit school is a popular thing but the ‘pet’ macaque in a classroom is most certainly infected with the Simian Herpes B virus, which is almost invariably lethal to humans.
This careless action endangers the toddler’s life and puts both the youngster and the monkey at risk of disease transmission.
Also, a capuchin monkey’s bite might easily sever a child’s jugular vein.