Finding Sanctuary: Life after the Primate Pet Trade, a Documentary Directed by Jack Wootton

Across the U.S., Primates Suffer as Pets

Across the United States, thousands of monkeys, apes, and other nonhuman primates are kept as pets in private homes. Finding Sanctuary: Life after the Primate Pet Trade, which was featured in the 2022 Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, explores the current legal landscape in the U.S.; the horrendous suffering of the animals kept as pets; the dangers of keeping primates as pets; and tells the stories of a few individual monkeys who made it out of the pet trade to find a new life at the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary, one of the largest primate sanctuaries in the United States.

As we celebrate the new lives of the monkeys who found sanctuary, sanctuaries are not the solution to the epidemic of primate pet ownership; federal action is needed. Calling on experts from advocacy, sanctuary care, law enforcement, and more, this documentary calls for the passage of the Captive Primate Safety Act, a federal bill that would prohibit the interstate commerce of primates as pets, ban the private ownership of these species, and restrict direct contact between the public and primates.


Watch the Film


Host a Watch Party for Finding Sanctuary

Hosting a watch party is a great way to…

Raise Awareness about the Primate Pet Trade
Raise Funds for Born Free USA's Sanctuary
Advocate for the Captive Primate Safety Act
 

If you are interested in hosting a watch party, please contact Born Free USA. We will provide you with:

✅ An info sheet about the primate pet trade you can share with your guests
✅ A custom donation page you can use to collect donations (if requested)
✅ A list of questions to prompt discussion

Yes, I want to host a watch party!

Donate to the Primate Sanctuary

Because of generous supporters like you, the sanctuary's monkey residents – many of whom were rescued from abusive situations in animal experimentation, roadside zoos, and private possession – now have a second chance for a more natural and happy life.

DONATE NOW