Update On Custody Battle Over Pet Monkey
Last month, Maryland animal control officers seized a woman’s pet capuchin monkey from her house under the suspicion that her monkey was illegal according to Maryland’s wild animal law.
The owner said that Armani, her monkey, was born last May and would not be illegal because she had him before the law was put into effect. Authorities believed that the monkey was only five months old and that the woman bought him after the law was passed. Armani has been in temporary custody at the Catoctin Zoo.
A decision has finally been made in the custody case. The Montgomery County Animal Matters Board has decided to not give her pet monkey back. They ruled that Armani was only five months old and that his owner could not have owned him before May 2006. Armani’s owner plans to appeal the decision arguing the Montgomery authorities improperly mixed state and county wild-animal laws. She has also sued the Montgomery County Police for seizing Armani.
More about the custody case after the jump.
From washingtonpost.com:
“They don’t care,” Gazewitz (Armani’s owner) said today. “He’s just a monkey to them. To me, he’s everything. My life is miserable.”
Montgomery police, who oversee the animal control division, said the ruling supported their contention that officers acted correctly.
“Our goal from the beginning was to uphold the law, to ensure the community’s safety, and to ensure the safety, health and well-being of the capuchin monkey,” police said in a statement.
June 21st, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Great, people can flex their muscles and take a way a lady’s monkey that is not hurting anyone, but no one can make the Pet Food companies stop poisoning our pets.
What a sad world we live in.
For pete sake give her monkey back, you big bullies.
June 22nd, 2007 at 2:29 am
I have mixed feelings on this. If there is illegality going on, I say fine her. But, it the monkey was a baby when she got him, what good is it to the monkey to be taking him away from the comfort he knows–provided she has also been a good surrogate monkey mom?
June 22nd, 2007 at 8:56 am
i’ve never got the exotic pet thing. why would anyone want to own a monkey, anyways?
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:56 am
I know that monkeys can carry certain diseases but if this monkey has been tested and is okay then give her back her monkey. It is only a baby. What is the difference if the monkey were put in a zoo or with her anyway. I am sure she would give it more love.
June 25th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
I too have mixed feelings about this story. It was very selfish of this woman to get a monkey without making sure she was going to be able to keep it. She endangered the monkey’s life with this selfish act.
On the other hand, I wish only the best for the monkey. I hope he finds a very good place to live, and I am very concerned that the Montgomery County authorities also do not have his best interests at heart.