On January 31, the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area, along with law enforcement officials, were called to investigate the home after a police officer, responding to an attempted burglary call, saw dozens of animals in unsanitary conditions on the premises. Among them were a Japanese macaque and a vervet living in small cages in an unheated garage. The macaque was housed in a dog kennel inside the garage, on concrete with urine-soaked newspaper. The vervet was housed in a five-foot by five-foot cage.
Tim Ajax, director of the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary said, "The local Humane Society reached out to us because we are equipped to care for monkeys and they wanted to find the best facility for them. We are happy to be able to offer them a better life and begin their rehabilitation – emotionally and physically –after their horrific life in a cage as someone's pet. They came from confinement without the proper socialization required for these wild animals. This means we have a lot of work ahead to give them a better, healthier life. We’re up to the challenge."
According to Amy B. Kaunas, executive director, Humane Society of Harrisburg Area, “We were so fortunate to have found such a wonderful place for these monkeys. After working with Tim Ajax through the transport process and touring the sanctuary, I have full confidence they are going to thrive at the sanctuary.”
Both monkeys will be quarantined for thirty days while they are fully evaluated and treated, prior to beginning their rehabilitation and eventual placement in proper social groups among the over 600 residents living at the Sanctuary.
The 186 acre Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary is home to 22 baboons, three vervets, and more than 600 macaques representing seven different species. Located near Dilley, Texas, the Sanctuary is the only one of its kind in the U.S. in that the majority of its residents live in free-ranging groups in natural enclosures of several acres, providing a safe, permanent home for its residents, many of whom were rescued from roadside zoos, research facilities or private possession. In order to allow the residents the maximum amount of privacy and freedom with minimal human interference, the Sanctuary is not open to the public.
Born Free USA is a nationally recognized leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic pets, trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade. For more information, visit http://www.bornfreeusa.org/
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