I am writing to voice my deep concern over the proposed Captive Primate Safety Act; H.R. 1329

I wish to convey to you why I oppose this bill.

A brief introduction of myself may help you understand why this is of utmost concern to me.

I have shared my life with non-human primates (specifically capuchin monkeys) for over 18 years. This bill will have significant effects on my life. Caring for a primate takes great commitment as they may live up to 40 years in captivity. Every waking moment of my life revolves around the primates in my care.

 

The Animal Rights activists and their constituents portray primates as vicious, disease infected monstrous animals, this is a ploy to gain your support for their cause. They also manipulate one to believe that their ‘owners’ I prefer the term guardian,  are uneducated, irresponsible people who keep these magnificent creatures in dark, barren basements in tiny filthy cages or even the ridiculous notion that we house them in bird cages. Granted, there are irresponsible people who grossly neglect their pets, I have seen my fair share as an animal control officer. But, this holds true with ALL animals and sadly too with human children, also elder abuse, spousal abuse and the like. What they do not want you to know is that the good responsible primate owners far outweigh those few who do not properly care for their charges.

 

The animal rights ultimate agenda is to ban all ‘ownership’ of all animals.

 

Ingrid Newkirk
President         Peta

One day, we would like an end to pet shops and the breeding of animals. [Dogs] would pursue their natural lives in the wild ... they would have full lives, not wasting at home for someone to come home in the evening and pet them and then sit there and watch TV.
- The Chicago Daily Herald (March 1, 1990)

 

In the end, I think it would be lovely if we stopped this whole notion of pets altogether.
- Newsday (February 21, 1988)

 

Wayne Pacelle 
Senior Vice President             Humane Society of the United States
We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding ...One generation and out. We have no problems with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.
- Animal People News (May 1, 1993)

 

Learn more about Wayne Pacelle who is urging the passage of this bill. (Page 4)

 

I belong to the Simian Society of America, a national organization comprised mainly of private owners of primates, most of whom are responsible caretakers who provide large spacious enclosures for the primates in our care.

We strive to ensure we are meeting the nutritional requirements of our primates by feeding scientifically formulated diets, we search out and utilize the most experienced veterinarians in the field, and often travel great distances to do so. We continually research and develop new ideas to ensure we are meeting their enrichment needs.

 

The animal rights agenda portrays these animals as vicious creatures. Any animal or human for that matter has the propensity to become aggressive. Even mans best friend, having been domesticated for thousands of years still will attack and in some instances kill humans. I am sure you are familiar with those statistics.

There are numerous variables, tendencies & reasons that can cause an animal to behave this way. Even in the recent tragic case of the chimpanzees that escaped from a sanctuary (not a private owner) but a sanctuary, this attack has baffled many experts in the field of primatology.

The respected Dr. Jane Goodall studied wild troops of chimpanzees in Africa; she began at a very young age and had no formal background or education until many years later. A young woman alone, deep in the heart of Africa, ALONE with wild chimpanzees. I do not ever recall hearing of her being mauled by the Chimpanzees, there are a great many other pioneers of primatology who too have studied them and other primates in the wild and not been attacked or succumbed to a disease contracted from them.

 

If in fact these animals are in actuality as aggressive or such high a risk for zoonotic disease transmission as they are portrayed to be, then WHY may I ask is it considered safe and appropriate to place these animals with disabled individuals through a Nationally Recognized organization such as the Helping Hands foundation?  First, for several years, sometimes 8 years or more, these animals are placed in a foster home with someone with no experience and little knowledge of the animal to raise and socialize the monkey, then they are returned to the training facility and undergo training for specific tasks, and once completed the monkey is placed to live with a severely disabled individual to assist them with everyday tasks. REMEMBER this is the same kind of animal portrayed to be vicious and disease riddled and they go on to live with quadriplegics and paraplegics. A person with this kind of disability has little or no way to defend them self from what is alleged to be a vicious, dangerous animal.  

 

The Animal Rights proponents exaggerate and fabricate to further their cause.

 

They bring up concerns of zoonotic disease; other animals including domestic animals such as dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, reptiles, fish and rodents also share many of these zoonotic diseases. (Table, Page 5-8)

Many diseases only occur in the wild. The pet primates of today were born and raised in captivity; importation from the wild of primates for the pet trade has been banned when the Lacy act was enacted in 1974. 

 

I am attempting to touch many points yet keep this brief, But I do want you to know that the average responsible owner wants fair regulations, not only to preserve their right to have the freedom to choose what type of animal they share their life with, but also to protect the primates that are not properly cared for.

Those who do not properly care for their animals, any animal, appall us. Abuse, and neglect should not be tolerated.

 

The state of Florida has excellent regulations that many in the private sector would like to see utilized throughout the United States. Florida’s regulations require knowledge or verifiable experience with the animal species they desire to acquire. They mandate cage and enclosure size, require enrichment and proper veterinary care.

We have invested a great deal of money in these animals and more importantly the emotional bonds we share with our primates is unbelievably strong. These animals are our family members. We strive for the best possible medical care available, we routinely have them health checked and blood work run to ensure they are healthy, many human diseases are detrimental to the primates because we are so closely related.

Please do not let the agendas of the Animal Rights activists cloud your vision with their fictitious images of disease ridden, horribly abused, ferocious animals. I am sure there are instances of sick and abused primates out there but I believe the majorities are very well cared for.

 

In closing, when I come face to face with my maker on judgment day, I pray I will not be judged based on the actions of the most horrendous murderers and criminals, not judged based only on an observation or opinion or action of another, but on an individual basis. Please, do the same for my companion animals, and if you must enact a Captive Animal Safety Act, consider a dangerous animal act, where if ANY animal has a proven history of being a danger, i.e.: past history of unprovoked bites or attacks, then take action on the individual animal. Please do not black mark all primates because of some individuals irresponsibility or few isolated incidents.

 

Learn about the Wayne Pacelle who is pushing for this bill.

 

Wayne Pacelle Quotes

“If we could shut down all sport hunting in a moment, we would.”
— Associated Press 12/30/1991

“We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding ...One generation and out. We have no problems with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.”
— Animal People News 5/1/1993

“We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States ... We will take it species by species until all hunting is stopped in California. Then we will take it state by state.”
— Full Cry magazine 10/1/1990

“We would be foolish and silly not to unite with people in the public health sector, the environmental community, [and] unions, to try to challenge corporate agriculture.”
— “Animal Rights 2002” convention 7/1/2002

“Our goal is to get sport hunting in the same category as cock fighting and dog fighting.”
— Bozeman (MT) Daily Chronicle 10/8/1991

 

Wayne Pacelle

Biography
In 2004 Wayne Pacelle was named president of the world’s richest animal-rights organization, the Humane Society of the United States. Pacelle, a strict vegan, joined HSUS in 1994 after working at the anti-hunting group the Fund for Animals for six years. There he helped Paul Watson and his violent Sea Shepherd Conservation Society raise money for ships, and assisted Alex Pacheco and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals run an undercover investigation of a primate research lab.

Pacelle’s goal is to create “a National Rifle Association of the animal rights movement.” He is in charge of HSUS’s many ballot initiative campaigns, winning 17 of the 22 in which he has been involved. His biggest win was in Florida, where an initiative passed that gave constitutional rights to pregnant pigs. Florida farmers were banned from using “gestation crates.” Many farmers killed their animals as a result and the pork industry in Florida is almost extinct. He plans campaigns against gestation crates in other states, and is already organizing in California and New Jersey.

At the 1996 HSUS annual meeting, Pacelle announced that the ballot initiative would be used for all manner of legislation in the future, including “companion animal issues and laboratory animal issues.” These operations, he says, “pay dividends and serve as a training ground for activists.”

Pacelle’s wife, Kirsten Rosenberg, works for Ark Trust, now the HSUS Hollywood office.                          Background
Senior Vice President, Humane Society of the United States

Zoonosis Comparative chart

 Disease

Page #

Dogs

Cats

Birds

Primates

Farm Animals

Reptiles & Fish

Rabbits

Rodents

Ascariasis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

African Trypanosomiasis

84

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

American Trypanosomiasis

85

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

Amebiasis

86

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

Ancylostomiasis

98

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angiostrongyliasis

95

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

Anisakiasis

93

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

Anthrax

24,36

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

Arboviruses

56

 

 

X

X

X

 

 

X

Ascariasis

106

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

Babesiosis

81

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

Bacterial Disease

 

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balantidiasis

87

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

X

Bertielliasis

111

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Blastomycosis

40

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Borreliosis

17

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

Brucellosis

3

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

California Encephalitis

69

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

X

Campylobacteriosis

20

X

X

X

X

X

 

X

X

Capillariasis

99

X

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

Capnocytophaga

38

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cat Scratch Disease

42

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chlamydia psittaci

39

 

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

Clostridial Infections

37

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

Colibacillosis

21

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contagious Ecthyma

51

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

Cryptosporidiosis

88

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Cutaneous Larva

102

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cystic Hydatid Disease

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cytomegalovirus Disease

75

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dermatophilosis

29

 

 

 

X

X

X

X

 

Dermatophyte Infections

49

X

X

 

 

 

 

X

X

Dihyllobothriasis

108

X

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

Dipylidiasis (tape worm)

112

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dirofilaria Infection (heartworm)

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disease

Page

#

Dogs

Cats

Birds

Primates

Farm Animals

Reptiles & Fish

Rabbits

Rodents

Ebola

71

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Echinococcosis

112

X

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

Ehrlichiosis

45

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Erysipelothrix

30

 

 

X

 

X

X

 

X

Filariasis

100

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Flea Infestations

 

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giardia lamblia

89

X

 

X

X

 

X

 

X

Glanders

31

X

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

60

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

Hemorrhagic fever

66

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

Hepatitus A

74

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Herpesvirus

54

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Hymenolepsis Diminuta

114

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

Influenza

77

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

Isospora belli

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leishmaniasis

90

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leptospirosis

16

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

Listeriosis

15

X

 

X

 

X

X

X

X

Lyme Disease

18

X

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

Lymphocutic choriomeningitis

68

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

Marburg Virus

70

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

Measles

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Melioidosis

31

 

 

 

X

X

X

 

X

Migrans (hookworm)

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mite Infestations (Scabies)

 

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monkey Pox

52

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Mycobacteriosis

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

Newcastle Disease

78

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

Oesophagostomiasis

103

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Pasteurellosis

35

X

X

X

 

X

 

X

X

Pentostomiasis

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

Plague (Yersinia pastis)

9

X

X

 

 

X

 

X

X

Plasmodium

83

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Plesiomonas

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

Q Fever

44

X

X

X

 

X

 

 

 

Rabies

72

X

X

 

X

X

 

 

X

Rat bite Fever

34

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

Disease

Page

#

Dogs

Cats

Birds

Primates

Farm Animals

Reptiles & Fish

Rabbits

Rodents

Rickerrsialpox

47

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

Ringworm

49

X

X

 

 

X

 

X

X

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

46

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

X

Salmonellosis

4,22

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Schistosomiasis

116

X

X

 

X

X

 

 

X

Shigellosis