Letter to the Editor: Regarding Salem's Recent Monkey Business

Re: “Owner of Monkey in Salem Riverfront Park Incident Comes Forward,” April 21

White-faced Capuchin Monkey msu.edu/

(NORWALK, Va.) - Re: “Owner of Monkey in Salem Riverfront Park Incident Comes Forward” April 21

Editor:

No one would debate the challenges faced by less-abled people, but forcing monkeys to bridge the gap is taking an injustice done to one and placing it on another.

The Helping Hands training program removes infant monkeys from their mothers within days or weeks of birth—separations that are extremely traumatic for both mother and baby.

As was the monkey in this case, some or all of the babies’ teeth are extracted, as capuchins are prone to biting.

In the jungles and forests where they belong, capuchins raise families, defend their homes, and have intricate communication systems.

They race through tree canopies with astonishing speed and accuracy. Forcing them to act as ersatz aides is exploitative and cruel.

There are many innovative therapies ranging from automatic bidets to voice activated home operating systems that help to foster independent living, rather than programs like this one that perpetuate dependency.

Yours truly,

Jennifer O'Connor

Captive Exotic Animal Campaign Writer

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Norfolk, Virginia