Illinois House votes to make it a crime to own pet monkeys, apes

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois House pushed through a measure Friday that would make it a crime to own a pet monkey.

The move comes on the heels of a nationwide push to ban people from owning primates after a 200-pound chimpanzee on Xanax severely mauled a woman in Connecticut by ripping off her hands, ears and most of her face.

State Rep. Dan Burke, a Chicago Democrat who sponsored the legislation, said the proposal is aimed at ensuring public safety and animal welfare. It would ban primates such as chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, monkeys and lemurs. Zoos, circuses and science labs would be exempt.

"There is an attack risk and there's a disease risk," Burke said.

The proposal would not affect primates bought before 2011 if they're registered with local animal control agencies. Lawmakers exempted from the ban a "therapy monkey," defined as a capuchin monkey owned by someone with a severe disability who uses the animal to complete daily tasks.

Marcel, the monkey from 1990s sitcom "Friends," was a capuchin monkey, though not apparently used for therapy purposes.

State Rep. Chapin Rose, a Mahomet Republican, was one of two lawmakers to vote against the measure. He said the General Assembly should address the real 800-pound gorilla in the room, the state's $13 billion budget shortfall, rather than monkey around with issues such as this.

"If you were keeping an alligator in your house that was going to get loose and kill somebody, I'd be worried about that," Rose said. "But half of these little primate dudes are no bigger than your hand. They're not going to kill anybody. I just think it's silly."

Onarga Republican Shane Cultra was the other "no" vote.

The proposal now moves to the Illinois Senate for consideration.