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The young woman whose hand is pictured here says:
"I thought Kaylie was the perfect child. I bottle-raised
her from infancy. She slept with me, went to do shopping
errands with me and was part of the family. When she
was a baby capuchin, I would never have imagined that
as a three-year-old Kaylie would attack me with no
warning."
"The nerves in my hand and wrist were so
severely severed that I will likely never regain use
of my hand despite all of the surgeries I have endured."
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"Kaylie lost her life. She was euthanized
by authorities. Anyone who acquires a monkey thinking
it will be a suitable pet is embarking upon a tragic
journey… painful and heartbreaking."
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This nine-year-old Montgomery County, Texas boy
was playing in his yard when he was suddenly attacked
by a neighbor's 'pet' macaque monkey.
Of the attack, the boy says, "The monkey started
jumping. He got this arm, then he jumped to this arm
and started yanking, and going back and forth to a leg
and both my arms, like, taking turns on all of them."
[Source: ABC 13 Eyewitness News]
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These wounds were caused by a small
female monkey which had been considered a "sweet
loving pet" for eight years.
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These wounds were caused by a toothless and "fixed"
capuchin monkey. The woman whose leg is shown to the
left wrote: I am sending you a picture of what Boomer
(a capuchin) did to me last week and also to tell you
that you were so right when you told me removing the
teeth is no safe guard against getting hurt. As you
can see, I was hurt from head to toe by him. I
don't know why he got mad, he just attacked for no reason
I can figure out. He was neutered at 9 months so it
was not hormones! I didn't take anything away from him,
he just all the sudden jumped on me before I even knew
what was happening. I remember you telling me you can
take the teeth and testicles out of a monkey but not
the wild instinct. Now he is alone in a cage and I fear
him.
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These wounds, caused by a young female
macaque monkey, were only a few of the wounds sustained
in a single attack by a woman who was attempting to
keep the monkey as a 'pet'.
Note: The monkey who inflicted these
wounds has no canine teeth.
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"Pulling of healthy teeth to prevent the nonhuman
primate from biting is not considered ethical or appropriate
for the health of the nonhuman primate."
-Cathy A. Johnson-Delaney, D.V.M.
Source: The Primate Care Journal
Published by the Simian Society of America
Volume 5, No. II
Spring 2001
Compliments, Exotic Pet Medicine, Mosby Publishing,
Volume 5, Issue 10, October 2000
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The monkey
pictured above has sagging lips from having been the
victim of a full mouth tooth extraction
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From An Email Correspondence
After Being Attacked by a 'Pet' Monkey
Author's Name Withheld
I had just gotten off the phone and
went in to change my capuchin Rus and he attacked me
the worst he has ever attacked me. My husband heard
me screaming from outside and came in just in time to
see Rus flying towards my face. Blood was everywhere
-- my blood. My husband grabbed the baseball bat and
knocked Rus off me into a chair and grabbed him by the
neck as hard as he could and threw him back into his
cage and rushed me to the hospital.
I had 31 bites and tears on both arms,
hands, legs and my left ankle was hurt the worst and
one bite to my left breast. He kept attacking relentlessly,
screaming and coming at me. There was nothing whatsoever
to provoke him. I had just finished changing his diaper,
he wheeled around, grabbed the leash off the cabinet
door and flew into me screaming and attacking. I'm hurt
really bad this time, walking on crutches.
The authorities were called in, they
know it is a monkey, pictures have been made of me and
Rus, he has gone into quarantine and after six months,
he is going to be put to sleep. They wanted to take
his head immediately, and I told them they just could
not do that, he is the center of a lawsuit. A set of
the pictures, along with a letter is being sent to the
USDA authorities now to show that this monkey is being
passed from state to state and how vicious he is and
unpredictable. The doctor said that because of the severity
of the bites, had it been a 3 to 6, 7 or 8 year old
child, it would have killed them or they would have
needed some serious reconstructive surgery. Had he had
his canines, I would have been hospitalized. I thought
I looked bad the last time, but it does not even compare.
Like my husband said, he would hate to think what would
have happened if he had already left for work and wasn't
here when it happened.
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Commenting on the photos
on this page, Lorraine, a paramedic who was forced
to relinquish her 'pet' capuchin to a primate sanctuary
after numerous unprovoked attacks, submitted this
testimonial:
These wounds look pretty mild compared to the ones
I received from Missy, and mild especially compared
to the bites received by my son.
Once Missy bit my palm to the point where the
meat was hanging off I had to put it back in and steristrip
it. I still have a hole under the skin from the meat
that is missing and the scar she left on my arm would
have needed at least 20 stitches if I had gone to
the hospital but I took care of it myself with steristrips
and tape, because I knew if I went to the hospital
they would have had Missy taken away from me.
So I treated myself with first aide and antibiotics.
I was lucky I didn't get a serious infection. This
is only about 5% of the bites I received from Missy.
I still feel guilty about the bites my family
received because Missy was my monkey and my choice
of pet.
My son suffered the most from bites. My daughter
and husband were bitten multiple times also. Missy
has ripped holes in friends and family clothes as
they walked by her cage unsuspecting she would reach
out and grab their clothes and wouldn't let go 'til
a piece came off. The hair pulling… even the
dogs had handfuls of hair removed by Missy. How many
pairs of glasses had to be replaced, as Missy just
loved to take peoples glasses. She also enjoyed chewing
up jewelry. She'd think nothing of putting her hand
in your pocket taking a $10 bill and chewing it to
an unrecognizable mass.
Missy left scars all over my body and on my son's
hands. I wish now I had taken pictures to let people
see how a sweet loving primate can turn violent when
frightened or when they feel threatened.
I know it wasn't her fault. She was a wild animal
in captivity and was acting out of instinct when she
was frightened or felt threatened.
I have no one to blame but myself for thinking
I could raise a wild animal in captivity. I wish I
had pictures of Missy biting or the after affects
of a bite to send to all the people who are considering
getting a monkey as a pet.
Yes, Missy could be very loving, cute give kisses
and hugs but the opposite side was much more devastating.
I remember being alone with her one day when she
bit me and thinking if she bit me in the neck and
nicked my jugular vein my family could come home and
find me dead. I know this sounds dramatic but the
way she can bite a hand or an arm she could bite your
neck. They aren't love bites - they hold on and gnaw.
So it is not so far fetched.
It had gotten to the point that I would only let
Missy out of her cage when no one was around that
she could hurt. That was very unfair to her. So when
people say they love animals they should be advised
if you love a wild animal you should never keep it
in captivity but do everything you can to protect
them in the wild and do everything you can to stop
the trade of wild animals as well.
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Baby monkeys and apes destined for
the 'pet' trade are literally "pulled" away
from their protective mothers when they are only hours
or days old. Remember, commercial gain (not compassion)
is the breeder's motivation.
The infant monkeys/apes and their
biological mothers typically suffer depression from
the forced separation. "Breeder" females,
like the one pictured on the right, are often purposely
impregnated at a frequency which can be 4-6 times
higher than the species would breed in natural circumstances,
leading to serious and often fatal/crippling maladies
like hemorrhaging and severe bone mass depletion.
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Purchasing an infant primate is always consumerism
supporting an unscrupulous (and sometimes illegal) trade.
Raised by humans, the baby monkeys/apes never have
the chance to develop as they should, thus they become
psychologically maladjusted. They have little or no
chance of leading life in accordance with their instincts
as nature intended.
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Many individuals who purchase exotic animals (including
monkeys and apes) intending to make them in to "pets"
do not consider the following:
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Exotic animals need physical and psychological
enrichment; spacious and secure enclosures; companionship
of conspecifics, and they have specialized dietary/nutritional
needs. Depending on the species, costs associated
with responsibly caring for an exotic animal can
run in to thousands of dollars a year. Many insurance
companies refuse home owner's coverage to those
in possession of species deemed 'dangerous'. In
many locales, it may be difficult or even impossible
to find a veterinarian who is qualified and experienced
to handle/treat exotic species. Unlike domestic
dogs/cats, some animal species (for example, nonhuman
primates) can have life-spans of 30-40 years.
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| Pictured above is Pearl, a stump-tail macaque
who was being kept as a "pet" in a deplorable
environment. |
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| Pictured above is Zach, a rhesus macaque who
was being kept as a "pet". Zach was
living in a rusted 'live animal trap'. |
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In December of 2004, more than 90 animals, including
Pearl and Zach who are pictured above were confiscated
from an Akron, Iowa residence after police received
complaints that they were being neglected.
Thanks to the Animal
Rescue League of Iowa, Pearl and Zach were placed
at Mindy's
Memory Primate Sanctuary.
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Information regarding a monkey attack incident received
from an Open Records Act request:
Note: The monkey is listed on the release as a 6-year-old
male Reeses [sic] macaque named Rascal. [This information,
and the misspelling of "Rhesus" was in the owner's
handwriting.]
NARRATIVE FROM BELL COUNTY, TEXAS SHERIFF'S OFFICE
REPORT:
ON 03-08-06 AT ABOUT 156 PM, I, DEPUTY PHELPS, WAS DISPATCHED
TO 3436 CATHEY LANE, BELTON, TEXAS IN REFERENCE TO AN
ANIMAL BITE. THIS LOCATION IS FOUND BY TAKING FM 2410
TO CATHEY LANE.
I MET WITH THE HOME OWNER AND ANIMAL OWNER, DENISE VANCE,
WHO STATED WHILE SHE AND HER FRIEND, LINDA WINKLER, WERE
TRYING TO GET SOME OF DENISE'S THINGS TO MOVE OUT OF THE
HOME, THE MONKEY ESCAPED HIS CAGE AND ATTACKED LINDA.
THE INJURY LINDA SUSTAINED TO HER WRIST AREA WAS A BITE
ABOUT THREE INCHES IN DIAMETER AND VERY DEEP. LINDA WAS
TRANSPORTED TO SCOTT AND WHITE FOR HER INJURIES BY AMBULANCE.
AT THE TIME OF THE CALL, LINDA WAS TRAPPED IN THE BATHROOM
WHILE THE MONKEY WAS LOOSE IN THE CLOSED UP MOBILE HOME.
NOLANVILLE FD AND NOLANVILLE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER WAS
ON SCENE. I HAD CALLED BELL COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
WHILE ENROUTE TO THIS CALL. DURING THE TIME I WAS LOOKING
TO SEE WHERE THE MONKEY WAS, ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER TOM
JONES AND ANOTHER WORKER ENTERED THE RESIDENCE. OFFICER
JONES DARTED THE ANIMAL WITH 5CC OF TRANNQUILIZERS TOM
STATED THAT HE HAD A PATIENT TRAPPED IN THE HOME AND NEEDED
TO GET THE PATIENT OUT. I SPOKE WITH THE OWNER, DENISE
VANCE, WHO STATED SHE WAS FINE WITH THE ANIMAL BEING DARTED
AND ASKED BELL COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL UNIT TO EUTHANIZE
AND TEST THE ANIMAL. ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER STONEBURNER
HAD HER FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK.
SUPPLEMENT
ON MARCH 8,2006 I RICHARD STONEBURNER WENT TO 3436 CATHIE
LN IN REFERENCE TO SOMEONE BEING BITTEN BY A MONKEY.
WHEN I ARRIVED THE SITUATION WAS ALREADY UNDER CONTROL
AND I WAS INFORMED BY THE NOLANVILLE ANIMAL CONTROL
OFFICER THAT THE OWNER (VANCE, DENISE ELIZABETH) IS
WILLING TO RELEASE THE ANIMAL. NEXT I WENT TO DENISE
TO ASK HER TO RELEASE THE ANIMAL TO THE SHERIFFS OFFICE
FOR RABIES TESTING. I THEN EXPLAINED THAT IF SHE RELEASES
THE ANIMAL THEN SHE IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CIVIL
OR CRIMINAL LIABILITY RESULTING FROM THIS INCIDENT.
UPON RECIEVING THE RELEASE FORM, I THEN TOOK THE ANIMAL
TO DR DUNNS VET CLINIC TO HAVE THE ANIMAL PUT DOWN AND
SENT OFF FOR RABIES TESTING.
I AM CURRENTLY AWAITING THE RESULTS OF THE RABIES TEST.
FOLLOW UP
ON MARCH 9,2006 I RICHARD STONEBURNER WAS NOTIFIED THAT
THE MONKEY WAS NEGATIVE FOR RABIES. I ALSO CONTACTED
THE VICTIM LINDA WINKLER AND INFORMED HER THAT THE TEST
FOR RABIES CAME BACK NEGATIVE.
CASE CLOSED CLEARED UNFOUNDED
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