Comments on: Would Real Monkeys do a Better Job Producing ABC Primetime Shows?

By: watch_it

watch_it — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:07:08 +0000

A study done awhile ago showed that because the use of chimpanzees were so prevalent in the entertainment industry most people did not realise they were even endangered. How sad is that, we have taken one of our closest relatives in the animal kingdom and have dressed him up in commando pants and given him a gun as if he is off to war. This is a war alright, but it is a war to save the chimpanzee from extinction not so you can keep him in your backyard. By using that poster to further your own selfish interest you have exploited the chimpanzee yet again.

Private ownership does not contribute to conservation. Conservation is about letting these animals live as they have been before our interference, wild and free. Who am I and who are you to say they are happier in captivity. I’m not saying that some people do not go above and beyond for their primates however did it ever occur to you that even your best just isn’t good enough.

I know REXANO is opposed to pretty much any animal bill that comes up. We have freedoms and peace in this country because there are laws in place. If there were no laws then everyone could do what they wanted to. But even you can see how that can’t work.

By: No pet monkeys for me

No pet monkeys for me — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:49:21 +0000

I just can’t justify keeping a primate as a pet, they are so special to me as I have worked with them for over 10 years. These animals are not pets, they are so intelligent they need so much mental stimulation they need to interact with others of their own species. Babies primates in the pet trade are pulled from their mothers at birth, i’m talking as early as 2 days old in some cases. There are laws in the U.S. which state you cannot sell a puppy or a kitten under 8 weeks but unfortunately no such laws are in place for primates. They truly form bonds with one another that rival our own. Mothers and babies will form lifelong bonds, I have a daughter and I can’t imagine the pain I would be in if someone ever took her away from me.
I’m not judging anyone i’m just saying why I would never get one both my experiences and my heart tells me it is wrong.

By: timbalionguy

timbalionguy — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:11:15 +0000

Although my primary interest and focus is big cats, I have an opportunity to work around a lot of different exotic animals and the people that own them. Primates are very special animals, unlike any others. As a bit of a mirror of ourselves, they form very close relationships with their humans, much more like a child than a pet. Like all loving creature-creature bonds that exist, both the animal and the human bebefit from it. Although primates are very curious, and love to explore, at the end of the day, they are glad to be with ‘mom’ or ‘dad’. It disturbs me deeply that there are those who feel strongly enough about this ’situation not being right’ as to force their viewpoint on all of us. We have a God-given fundamental right to have animals as friends and companions– my lion, Eileen’s monkey, perhsps your cat, dog or whatever. Others may decide it is their God-given fundamental right to abstain from such relationships. That’s fine, too. Go ahead and exercise that right. Just don’t infringe on other people’s God-given right to own animals!

By: Gone Ape

Gone Ape — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:36:38 +0000

Americans have a constitutional right to own property, and like it or not, the government considers animals as well as land property. It is unconstitutional to deny people the right to own the animal of their choice.

These animals are not stolen from the wild, but bred and born right here in the USA. As captive-born animals, captivity IS their ‘natural’ environment. The activists have failed miserably at protecting these animals in the wild, which should be their true focus….not banning people from providing captive-born primates with loving homes.

By: monkey love is the best

monkey love is the best — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:03:05 +0000

If bans on exotics are allowed to exist, soon other things that is our constitutional right to own will also be banned. do you want to live in a communist world? Our military young men are over there fighting for our freedom while we are back here allowing these Animal rights fanatics to take our freedom away! The treatment of exotics can be regulated by requiring permits/licenses etc. There is no need for bans on anything. There are many of us out here who are educated in the care of primates, so tell me why are they put to death because there is no room at the sanctuaries? Well, its because sanctuaries think we are incapable. All they are going to do is throw them in a cage and they live out their years until they die. With a human family they have more quality of life not less. We can build large cages and add items of enrichment etc. and we even get ideas from how the sanctuaries do there cages and the zoos. My monkeys are used to human affection and also that of each other. This is bull. back in my grandmas day there were plenty of people who had monkeys. what is the big deal? I think the Animal rights people need a real cause to fight for like how about fighting the “bush meat ” trade in Africa where they are poaching these beautiful different exotic monkeys, soon to be extinct , to sell on the market for rich people to eat at high class restaurants ?Or they could fight for all these monkeys stuck behind closed doors at a lab with screws going through their heads day in and day out. I say NO BANS ON ANYTHING, just REGULATE it. There is not going to be any “WILD” left people, can’t you see that. The private owners of exotics and zoos etc will be the only way our future generations will ever experience seeing or touching an exotic animal.

By: monkeymom65

monkeymom65 — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:00:44 +0000

I wish people would mind there own buisness the world would be a better place. Just because I own monkeys, and someone don’t like it does not make it a bad thing. I don’t like most sancturies , but you don’t see me trying to close u down. Maybe some of the monkeys you have are better off with you, I don’t know and won’t jude you. I have Macs and would not send them to a sancturie for anything. My monkeys are well loved and have planty of enrichment toy’s. They are my Babies but not my Childern. Go spend your time and money on somthing important, and leave us alone. Im with the other comment go after child molester or rapist. We just won’t to raise our Monkeys in peace. THAT SHOULD BE OUR LEGAL RIGHT ,GOD BLESS US ALL ( it makes me wounder why our kid’s are dying over sea’s for us or why all they other one’s have died. I thought it was for our freedom)Mary

By: Jingles-all-the-way

Jingles-all-the-way — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:03:42 +0000

The best thing that ever came into my life is my capuchin monkey Jingles. You see I have a severe to profound hearing impairment. Jingles helps me hear what I can’t on my own .She is a hearing helper monkey… She helps me live a more independent life.She provides me companionship where humans seem to not want to . I am left out of conversations ,I am ignored because people don’t care to repeat things or have to speak slower.The connection I have with Jingles goes beyond words…we don’t need them to communicate..she senses my needs. She is a very happy monkey .She can catch bugs to eat like in the wild.She can splash with the Koi by the pond.she can swing out in her tree swing. She doesn’t spend her days locked in a cage like you think monkeys are.She is happy with her human family. Hey, didn’t we evolve from monkeys…so why does she need to be with other monkeys to be with a family.In the eleven years I have had her, she has never spent one night without me. I need her to hear for me in the night when I am without my hearing aids.She needs me to be there so she is never alone. If you asked me one word to describe happiness ..I would say Jingles..

By: I_Love_My_Monkeys

I_Love_My_Monkeys — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:17:43 +0000

In response to mnmonyx: How is having a monkey “destroying the rest of the remaining wild”? That’s a stupid statement…they haven’t been imported from the wild in over 20 yrs now. I have two spider monkeys…I don’t think of them as pets, as you mentioned, I think of
them as companions! They have much, much more than most sanctuaries could offer them and they are happy, well adjusted, and very much loved! You say we haven’t done our homework…well…..it doesn’t look to me like you are doing yours! Why are you sitting back and watching monkeys being euthanized because there are no homes for them? Is it because, like you also say, that money talks and if a person can’t supply YOUR sanctuary (s)?
with a ton of money, you won’t take the monkey in? There are ALWAYS homes for these magnificant creatures…just not with a sanctuary who does nothing other than supply a cage that somebody else paid for in the first place! My monkeys have swings, toys, enrichment items, foraging devices, lots of good, healthy food, outdoor enclosures, indoor playrooms, and most importantly they have
US and each other to love them!! And if you ever decide to get off of your high horse and come down to Earth, you are welcome to contact me or other monkey owners, and we’ll supply homes for the monkeys that don’t have them….OR we’ll find them a home…they will NOT
be euthanized.

By: MargaretsMacaques

MargaretsMacaques — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:03:42 +0000

Eileen, Thank you for speaking up for the many of us who know the truth but might not be able to express it so well!! Owning a monkey has been compared to having a child in the past decade. The reason for this is because of the complex emotional and mental make up of a non human primate. The time given in attention to a “pet” or companion monkey is as much as you would give to a baby coming into your home. Because of this……the bond between owner and monkey becomes very close……much like that of a child.
If a person gets a monkey, and raises it properly (because they have researched and learned about THEIR needs) as you would a child, you will have a life time bond. good. A monkey that lacks trust for their owner can become aggressive. They are afraid……..they become aggressive. They have not been given the right amount of love, discipline and bonding time. This is very much like a “human-child”. Biting is a form of communication. From play biting to attacking, their communication is different. My 5 monkeys have NEVER bitten me for any reason. We play bite and they know the difference of playing and being aggressive. My monkeys, which are all macaques, have their teeth. Bottom line……Everything rises and falls on leadership……..what kind of animal owner are you……so goes your animal.

By: monkeemom

monkeemom — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:27:27 +0000

I have 2 capuchin monkey’s, both are loved very much and I chose to have them in my life instead of human children. I would’nt change it for the world. They both are happy and healthy and nobody should be able to tell me wether or not I can have them. A better option is to collect all the drug abusing,child molesting HUMANS and take them away….. Karen

By: primaemon

primaemon — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:25:03 +0000

There are many responsible exotic pet owners, that let the animal be an animal, yet have a true loving bond with the animal of choice. Primates make great loving pets, and can make your life more enjoyable, but the human in their life makes their life more worth while. They get affection, love and the sensitivity they require, that they would not get in the wild. Bans on animals of any kind are wrong. It punishes the responible owner, and their pets. What happened to our right to choose? Even rotties and dobermans are being banned in some states, and insurance companies wont cover the home if you own a dog on their list. Dogs are not to blame, the breed of dog is not to blame, it is the irrisposible owners who allow them to get agressive, teach them to fight, etc… that should be banned and punished. But the AR groups attack the breeds of dogs, attack owners of exotics, and the media listens only to the negative stories. When is this world going to start seeing the WHOLE story, see the resposible side of ANY pet ownership, and deal with the irrisponsibles people, instead of taking our right to choose away? Instead of banning animals that make our lives complete? Media and AR groups are one sided in their views, and untill they exsperience life with an exotic, they will never learn the truth. SAY NOT TO BANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: primatelivinggood

primatelivinggood — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:54:15 +0000

I stand behind this very well written post…We all have a right to own a primate,if the animal is well cared for….Im sorry but sanctuaries to me are nothing but someone with some land,putting up caging and collecting animals from owners that no longer want them..this way they dont have to purchase the animals.then asking for donations..to support the animals..most sanctuary owners that i have met use to be breeder/brokers of exotics……the sanctuary that was viewed on this primetime was the same person that use to breed,dress up baby monkeys,and sell them and in her video states to purchase more than one baby for companionship,,she also has in her video of her taking young children into an enclosure with her adult primates and doing photo shoots etc with her exotics….I stand behind exotic ownership if the owners are educated enough on the species and the animal can be properly cared for with diet,enrichments and vet care..Sherry

By: mnmonyx

mnmonyx — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:05:49 +0000

The truth is…Monkeys are NOT and should NOT be treated as pets! Most pet primates have been species isolated and exploited their whole life and that is sick! Jesse’s owners are both selfish & ignorant. I have helped rescue several monkeys and our sanctuaries get calls every day from people who have “pet monkeys” that they can no longer care for or are scared of their so called child and want it gone. Our sanctuaries are at capacity and monkeys (retired research monkeys & ex-pet monkeys) are being put to death because there is no place for them to go! Please do your homework people, educate yourself and stop being so selfish! Though I am sure in your heart you think that you know what is best for your pet monkey as most owners do, you can never offer that amazing exotic wild animal what they really need..EVER! Primates should never be forced to be pets, actors, lab rats or on display at zoos, etc…It should be illegal for too many reasons to list. It saddens me to know that money talks and no matter what some of us will always let our need and greed destory the last of the remaining wild! I do agree that Primetime could have done a better job on the perils of the pet primate world and hopefully they will decide to run another story. Take care.

By: joygall2003

joygall2003 — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:38:43 +0000

You see that is very sweet, You never know the love you have until you own a Monkey for your self, Raise one of your own and you will have great love and trust…Joy Galloway…