Just a week after a savage attack in Connecticut involving a chimpanzee, the House today overwhelmingly passed legislation aimed at curbing the keeping of primates as pets. The Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R. 80) passed on a vote of 323-95. Sponsored by Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), the bill would amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to add primates to the list of animals that cannot be transported across state lines by individuals.
“The primate trade involves enormous animal suffering and threats to human safety,” says Adam Roberts, senior vice president of Born Free USA. “Wildlife belongs in the wild.”
Following Brutal Chimp Attack, House Overwhelmingly Passes Primate Pet Ban
Scott Nance
On the Hill (blog)