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Captive Primate Safety Act

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The Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R. 8164; S.4206) is proposed United States legislation that modifies the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to treat nonhuman primates as prohibited wildlife species, allowing exemptions for zoos and research facilities. The bill would eliminate the use of primates in the domestic pet trade at a federal level. A December 2023 review found that the "U.S. ranked third out of 171 countries in the ease of purchasing a pet primate online, behind Indonesia and Vietnam."[1][2] The bill, if passed, would raise U.S. standards to resemble those of the European Union, United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, and other countries where pet primates are strictly regulated.[3][4]

In April 2024, the Captive Private Safety Act was introduced in Congress by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).[5] In September 2024, Blumenthal held a press conference with Friends of Animals to promote the Act in the wake of the HBO series Chimp Crazy,[6] which highlights disturbing examples of primate "pets".

The Captive Primate Safety Act was first introduced in 2005 and has been passed by the House of Representatives multiple times but, as of 2024, has not made it past both houses for a vote.

The legislation is endorsed by Animal Welfare Institute, Friends of Animals, Born Free USA, Humane Society of the United States, Animal Legal Defense Fund, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Four Paws USA, Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, American Society of Primatologists, Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association, and National Sheriffs Association, among others.[7]

History

[edit]

The Captive Primate Safety Act was first introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Rep. Eddie Johnson on March 16, 2005.[8] The bill was reintroduced by Rep. Mark Kirk[9] in February 2009 following the widely publicized mauling of Charla Nash by a pet chimpanzee Travis.[10] Rep. Rob Bishop argued against the bill during the floor debate, noting it would cost $4 million annually and do nothing directly to prevent chimpanzee attacks on humans; he also noted such attacks are relatively rare.[11] Twenty states and the District of Columbia already had laws banning primates as pets.[12] On 23 February 2009 the House voted 323 to 95 in favor of the bill. Several Republicans who opposed to the bill said that animal control was a "states issue, not a federal issue."[13] Early versions of the bill exempted monkey helpers.[11]

Congress Short title Bill number(s) Date introduced Sponsor(s) # of cosponsors Latest status
109th Congress Captive Primate Safety Act H.R. 1329 March 16, 2005 Eddie Bernice Johnson

(D-TX)

47 Died in committee
Captive Primate Safety Act of 2005 S. 1509 July 27, 2005 Jim Jeffords

(I-VT)

6 Passed Senate (unanimous consent)
110th Congress Captive Primate Safety Act H.R. 2964 July 10, 2007 Eddie Bernice Johnson

(D-TX)

25 Passed House
S. 1498 May 24, 2007 Barbara Boxer

(D-CA)

5 Died in committee
111th Congress H.R. 80 January 6, 2009 Earl Blumenauer

(D-OR)

27 Passed House
S. 462 February 24, 2009 Barbara Boxer

(D-CA)

8 Died in committee
112th Congress H.R. 4306 March 29, 2012 Mike Fitzpatrick

(R-PA)

9 Died in committee
S. 1324 July 5, 2011 Barbara Boxer

(D-CA)

6 Died in committee
113th Congress H.R. 2856 July 30, 2013 Mike Fitzpatrick

(R-PA)

152 Died in committee
S. 1463 August 1, 2013 Barbara Boxer

(D-CA)

25 Died in committee
114th Congress H.R. 2920 June 25, 2015 Mike Fitzpatrick

(R-PA)

75 Died in committee
116th Congress H.R. 1776 March 14, 2019 Earl Blumenauer

(D-OR)

66 Died in committee
S. 2562 September 26, 2019 Richard Blumenthal

(D-CT)

12 Died in committee
117th Congress H.R. 3135 May 12, 2021 Earl Blumenauer

(D-OR)

67 Referred to committee
S. 1588 May 12, 2021 Richard Blumenthal

(D-CT)

11 Referred to committee
118th Congress H.R. 8164 April 30, 2024 Earl Blumenauer  (D-OR-3) 42 Referred to committee
S.4206 April 30, 2024 Richard Blumenthal

(D-CT)

6 Referred to committee

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Seaboch, Melissa (March 1, 2024). "The pet primate trade in the U.S." Open Access Government. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  2. ^ Vincent, Nijman (December 2023). "Global online trade in primates for pets". Environmental Development. 48 – via Science Direct.
  3. ^ "Wild Pets in the European Union" (PDF). ENDCAP. September 20, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  4. ^ Ahmadi, Ali Abbas (February 27, 2024). "Primates: New rules make it harder to keep them as pets". BBC News. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  5. ^ "Blumenthal, Blumenauer, & Fitzpatrick Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Ban Private Possession of Primates". Richard Blumenthal. May 1, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  6. ^ Sanchez, Sara (September 5, 2024). "Connecticut senator hoping 'Chimp Crazy' popularity will help pass primate legislation". Fox61. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  7. ^ "Blumenthal, Blumenauer, & Fitzpatrick Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Ban Private Possession of Primates". Richard Blumenthal (US Senator, CT). May 1, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  8. ^ "H.R.1329 - Captive Primate Safety Act". Congress.gov. September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  9. ^ "Ben Smith's Blog: The Primate Act of '09". Politico.Com. 23 February 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
  10. ^ "Topic Galleries". Courant.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-26. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
  11. ^ a b Peter Urban, House approves primate pet ban Archived 2009-07-28 at the Wayback Machine, Connecticut Post, February 24, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  12. ^ House tightens restrictions on chimps as pets Archived February 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, USA TODAY, February 24, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  13. ^ "House responds to chimpanzee attack". The Billings Gazette. February 25, 2009. p. 2. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
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