A Texas court decided an unusual custody case involving a young monkey named Lyla in the last few weeks, issuing an order that she can live out her days in the care and safety of the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in South Texas, one of the leading animal sanctuaries in the U.S.
Lyla is a rhesus monkey kept as a pet in a dog crate for seven years in Round Rock, near Austin, TX. She was seized after it was discovered that her owner had been keeping her without a permit, and her living conditions were alleged to constitute animal cruelty. On March 3, the case went to court, and an agreement was reached between the state and the respondent, who confirmed that he could not care for Lyla and that she had been “cruelly treated.” She will now be permanently entrusted to Born Free USA’s primate sanctuary.
Said Sanctuary Director, Dr. Liz Tyson-Griffin: “In almost 20 years of working with rescued monkeys, Lyla’s living conditions were some of the worst I have ever seen. She was imprisoned in a filthy 2’ x 3’ cage and had nothing but a dirty, torn blanket to play with and sleep on. When we entered the property to seize her, she was pacing obsessively backward and forward in her tiny space – an indication of long-term compounded stress. Nevertheless, we are delighted that it has now been confirmed that we can care for Lyla for the rest of her life. At our sanctuary, she will receive the expert care she needs to thrive.”
Animal Control Officer Heather Hernandez, who was in charge of the case, said: “After speaking with people familiar with monkeys we were referred to Born Free USA. We reached out to our local zoos and explained the situations and never received a call back. We are extremely grateful to Born Free USA assisting us in this case. This is a case where we see citizens continue to purchase exotics and they are not educated or equipped on how to take care of them. The monkeys get bigger and “wild”, and the owners can no longer physically handle or control them. These animals are lacking veterinary care because they cannot be handled by their owners, and most veterinarians are not willing to see monkeys. People who own monkeys make our job difficult due to the lack of resources Animal Control has to remove them.”
Lyla lives in a large enclosure with plenty of toys to play with, warm blankets to sleep on, a nutritious diet, and on-hand veterinary care for her needs. Ongoing vet care will be vital for her well-being as it was discovered on examination that she has a heart condition, which her captive conditions and poor diet may have caused. Importantly, sanctuary staff will also work with Lyla to integrate her into existing social groups to be with other monkeys for the first time in her life.
Tyson-Griffin continued: “While Lyla’s living conditions were shocking, it is important to understand that people who buy monkeys as pets do so naively and not usually intending to cause harm. However, as these wild animals get bigger, stronger, and more dangerous, owners realize they are out of their depth. The monkeys are locked up in secure cages that they often never leave. The lucky ones make it to sanctuaries like ours, but many stay in dismal conditions for their entire lives. We are pleased that Lyla’s former owner voluntarily accepted that he couldn’t provide her with the care she needs, but it is only by banning the trade in primates as pets will other monkeys like Lyla be saved from unnecessary suffering. Monkeys cannot thrive when kept as pets. Your house is not their home.”
Since arriving at the sanctuary three weeks ago, Lyla has gained confidence and explored her new home. She was underweight on arrival and is making the most of her healthy, nutritious diet. However, she is still nervous and has several abnormal behaviors, such as pacing and self-biting. These are indicators of the long-term stress she experienced as a pet but are diminishing daily as she settles into her new life.
The Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary is home to hundreds of monkeys rescued from the pet trade, laboratories, and from zoos. The non-profit organization also lobbies for legislative change to protect animals. A significant focus for Born Free USA’s lobbying efforts is the Captive Primate Safety Act, a federal bill that would outlaw the private ownership of monkeys as pets. This law is necessary, says the charity, to remedy the ineffective patchwork of legislation at the state level which does not effectively protect animals like Lyla from harm. It is thought that there may be up to 15,000 primates kept as pets in the United States, both legally and illegally.
Born Free USA has launched a fundraiser to help provide for Lyla’s medical care. Donations can be made at bornfreeusa.org/lyla.
