INDReporter

No helper monkey for you!

by Walter Pierce

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is set to put the kibosh on the legal ownership of monkeys trained to help the disabled, and the agency wants to know what you think.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is set to put the kibosh on the legal ownership of monkeys trained to help the disabled, and the agency wants to know what you think.

The LDWF sent out a news release Thursday soliciting public comment and announcing a Sept. 2 public hearing on proposed amendments to state law regarding the ownership of  "potentially dangerous quadrupeds, big exotic cats and non-human primates." One of the proposed changes to state policy for exotic-animal ownership caught our eye: "For the possession of non-human primates, the amendment removes an exemption to grant permits for helper monkeys,' or trained primates kept by a disabled person to assist in daily tasks. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) had been amended so that only trained dogs qualify as service animals, and this change to Louisiana's regulations will more closely reflect the federal statutes," the release indicates.

Other changes would affect the ownership of big cats such as tigers and lions and clarify the definition of "zoo."

Read the full release here, which links to a document laying out the proposed amendments.