Sanctuaries Are Not the Solution to the Captive Primate Crisis

There are around 15,000 privately owned “pet” primates in the U.S. and an estimated 75,000 monkeys used in animal experimentation, plus countless more in zoos and used in other forms of entertainment. Sanctuaries like the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary can provide a home for life for just a handful of monkeys, while the fate of the others is left in the hands of their “owners.” The infrastructure, staffing, and funding needed to rehome and house every one of the estimated 15,000 “pet” monkeys in the U.S. at wildlife sanctuaries makes it clear that sanctuaries are not the solution to the captive primate crisis.