1. United States
2. La.
3. Letter

As your constituent and as a primatologist who specializes in captive primate behavior, I am writing to urge you to cosponsor H.R. 3199(or S.1594), the Captive Primate Safety Act. This bipartisan bill would prohibit private possession of nonhuman primates, while exempting all zoos, research labs, sanctuaries, and universities. Pet primates suffer enormously in captivity. Breeders often forcibly remove infants from their mothers soon after birth. Unlike in the wild, where most primates live in large social groups, almost all pet primates are kept in relative isolation, devoid of social contact with other members of their species, and in conditions detrimental to their health and well-being. Primates quickly mature and express aggression, often prompting owners to extract the animals’ teeth and keep them permanently in cramped cages. Even small primates are strong and dangerous. They pose a serious threat to the people around them, as evidenced by the hundreds of reported injuries nationwide over the last few decades. Captive primates in the United States have mauled neighbors, turned on their owners, and endangered local police officers and emergency personnel, who must expend countless hours and resources responding to escapes, attacks, and cruelty cases. Additionally, nonhuman primates pose distinct risks to public health, since they can easily transmit a wide range of viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal diseases to humans. Based on my extensive experience studying primate needs and capabilities, and my desire to see protections for both nonhuman primates and the public, I strongly encourage you to cosponsor the Captive Primate Safety Act. I look forward to hearing back from you on this important issue.