It is difficult to say where and how Willis the vervet monkey began his life, but we know that he spent three years as a pet in Chicago, where keeping pet monkeys is illegal. Thanks to the work of Chicago Animal Care and Control, which undertook an urgent mission to rescue Willis from his former owner, the playful little monkey is now beginning a new life at Born Free USA’s primate sanctuary.
WTTW Chicago spoke with Born Free USA CEO, Angela Grimes, about Willis’ rescue and the need for a federal legislative solution to the dangerous and cruel primate pet trade, as the current patchwork of state and local laws is simply not sufficient. “It’s easy — too easy — to buy a monkey like Willis off the internet,” said Grimes. The Captive Primate Safety Act is a federal bill that would ban private ownership of these animals as well as prohibit public contact with them, important provisions that would protect animal welfare as well as public safety.
- Read the WTTW feature on Willis: Click here.
- Learn more about the rescue: Click here.
- Adopt Willis to provide for his ongoing care: Click here.