Does the U.S. Need to Crack Down on the Sale of Wild Primates? (S. 1463)

What is S. 1463?

(Updated December 27, 2018)

S. 1463 — the Captive Primate Safety Act — aims to stop the exotic pet market from transferring primates across U.S. state lines.

The bill amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981  — an act that bans the import, export, sale, or purchase of “prohibited wildlife species” — to include “non-human primates.”  If passed, S. 1463 would legally protect primates like monkeys and apes from being bought and sold.

There are a few exceptions: a person can acquire a “non-human primate” if that primate is especially trained to assist the blind. However, the person transporting the primate must be professionally trained and the person selling the primate must have a license. Organizations that are registered by a federal agency would also be exempt from the bill.

Anyone who breaks the measures outlined in the bill could face criminal and civil penalties.

Argument in favor

Wild primates should not be kept as pets. Vendors should be punished for enslaving animals that often become dangerous when removed from their original habitat.

Argument opposed

S. 1463 fails to define measures to ensure that the sale of non-human primates is regulated. Not to mention that it doesn’t completely outlaw the buying and selling of these animals, it just tightens restrictions.

Impact

Non-human primates, apes, monkeys, exotic animal dealers, people in the market for a pet monkey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Cost of S. 1463

The CBO estimates that S.1463 would have no significant impact on the federal budget.

Additional Info

Of Note: 

There have been a handful of incidents in the past decade where “non-human primates” held as pets became dangerous to humans. Some attacks even resulted in death which has prompted politicians to regulate the trading of wildlife. That’s bad news for exotic pet dealers, who rake in about $19 billion globally per year, and good news for the long list of animal rights organizations advocating for S.1463.

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