Orlando-area pet owners go ape over their primate 'monkids' -- ...

Lori Johnson was lonely and depressed after her youngest son left home in 1992. She yearned for another child to love.

[Diane Voigt]

When will people learn that wild animals are just that--wild. Primates should never be pets. They are not human and no one should ever attempt to raise them as humans. When the "pets" reach a stage and level of strength which put their owners in danger, the devoted parents can't wait to dump the poor creature and that's what sanctuaries all over the world are finding. Primates are intelligent and sentinent beings. They need to be treated with respect.

I suggest that anyone who has a primate pet get in touch with Dr. Alison Cronin of Monkey World in the UK. Dr. Cronin and her late husband have devoted their lives to rescuing "pet" primates and returning them to more natural lives in their sanctuary. The show, Monkey Life, on Animal Planet should be required viewing for anyone who thinks having a primate in their home is a good idea.

We can't even take care of our pet dogs and cats in this country (check how many are killed each year at local shelters). How can we be expected to deal with wild creatures like primates?

[Harold]

Did anyone see "Escape From the Planet of the Apes". It was explained that monkeys, gorillas, etc. eventually take over because they are brought into human homes as pets and they learn from us and finally realize that they eventually have become our slaves. They revolt and the rest is the future. Scary huh?

[Liberace]

I concur, Diane Voight. Look at the millions of euthanized animals from shelters each year and that is proof enough that a large part of society is not responsible enough to own even a cat or a dog, DOMESTICATED animals. The patience, dedication and education, and resources needed to care for a for a monkey is way beyond the capabilities of most.
A monkey will never be your child no matter how many $500 outfits you buy for it. It cracks me up that the breeder sees THAT as indication of a great monkey owner.
How about thinking of what is best for the animal and its needs? And the answer to that is for the monkeys to not be bred as pets and to remain in the wild.
I'm sure that many of the owners are well meaning and dedicated animal lovers (until the monkey starts to bite or something else they don't like) but just ask Seigfried and Roy, you can NEVER tame a wild animal.

[Auent Agatha]

So many pets which are "cute as babies" are bought by well meaning people but are abandoned when they no longer are "cute" and "cuddly" and end up roaming free or left to starve when the owners leave them behind. People just don't seem to realize that puppies grow up to be "big dogs" with "big appetites" and "rough manners" and need lots of outdoor exercise which the owner is reluctant to provide. As far as primates go, if you have ever watched wild animal TV shows it should warn you that primates routinely display vicious, aggressive behavior amongst themselves - some even attack and eat others - and this should be a warning that this little animal isn't a kitty but a wild, and potentially dangerous animal that could end up putting you in court being sued one day for it having bitten and scratched someone visiting your home or who thought they could touch it or pet it and got attacked. Think about your homeowners insurance.

[The Original Sam]

What a story the day after Mr. Planet of the Apes, Charlton Heston, died.

"TAKE YOUR STINKING PAWS OFF ME YOU DAMN DIRTY APE!"

[Jack]

Monkies have thumbs right? A cat or dog can't pick up a knife and chase me, that's all I'm saying...

Kids...
Just say no to animals that have the ability to pick up weapons.

[Monkey boy]

These people are insane and completley detached from reality.. get over your pathetic psychological problems with your kids leaving lady.. you can't replace them with a monkey.. God I hate people

[Brian]

This scares the ever-living-you-know-what out of me. Our precious little snowflakes aren't enough now. We have to pretend animals are our own offspring to fill the void in our lives?

[Bobby]

Harold wrote:

Did anyone see "Escape From the Planet of the Apes". It was explained that monkeys, gorillas, etc. eventually take over because they are brought into human homes as pets and they learn from us and finally realize that they eventually have become our slaves. They revolt and the rest is the future. Scary huh?

dumb and lame

[Richard Joseph]

Further proof that we have too many (adult) idiots living among us.

[Asimov_1]

All I can say is, "wow" and certainly *not* in a good way. What insane, idiotic, braindead yahoo thought this idea up?

Monkey's, no matter what kind are *wild animals*!! Hell, even *domesticated animals* can go nuts and bite their owners, so why do people think *wild* ones won't? Just cus they are generally human shapped does not make them human.

Sometimes people just piss me off so much, and I am no animal rights wacko, but in this case, "Go Monkeys!"

[Yosemite Sam]

Warning to you monkey owners: If your little snowflake comes after me with a handful of his crap I will shoot him immediately.
Keep the little primate at home.

[Keeks]

I know that one couple was deemed unfit to adopt, but I wonder how many others are selfishly destroying the lives of animals and neglecting the lives of actual children

[Just Sayin]

Save an animal - spay or neuter your pet-owner.

[Jim Parker]

As cute as they are, monkeys and primates are not domesticated animals either agricultural or companion. These kind of animals need natural surroundings and others of their own species to interact with, otherwise the will develop all kinds of narosiss and other dysfunctional behaviors. We should outlaw the sale and ownership of these animals other than to licensed facilities with the proper environment, nutritition and social behaviors provided for.

[Angel Face]

Keeks wrote:

I know that one couple was deemed unfit to adopt, but I wonder how many others are selfishly destroying the lives of animals and neglecting the lives of actual children

That is exactly what I was thinking. Let's all go adopt wild animals and bring them into our homes while thousands of foster children long for parents who will love them.

[Dave]

Glad to see most seem to agree that monkeys do not and should not be pets.

[Andrew]

I hear they go crazy if they can't form normal social relationships with others of their species.

[Know It]

Know it- the pet trade by us- U.S. of A. is directly responsible for extinction/ DWINDLING of many endangered species.

For capturing a baby monkey in wild poachers have kill its mom and any male/s that come to their defense. Average 4 adult primate die during capture of one baby in wild. One in five babies survive the smuggled journey to US. 20:1!

Even US bred primates had ancestors that were caught in wild. DO NOT let "puppy mill" traders profiteer from selling of these primates.

DO NOT OWN ONE EVEN IF YOU SEE IT ON TV ON "FREINDS".

[Kelly in Winter Springs]

Yikes! When I was a volunteer at Jungle Friends, I saw the sheer number of rescued animals waiting to get in, and the state they were in when they finally came. Monkeys can be very dangerous. They don't speak to you when they are angry or afraid, they bite. When they reach sexual maturity, they get violent as a way of expressing themselves. They are not human. Period. And they should not be raised as such.

As for the breeders: shame on you for taking a wild animal, locking it in a cage, and making a profit breeding it to death.

Kari Bagnall has been working to release these former pets to an island in Panama where they can re-adapt to normal monkey life. Jungle Friends needs donors and volunteers. Contact them (I think it's still junglefriends.org ) to buy monkey art, adopt a monkey (figuratively of course), and help end this tragedy.