3 min read
When humans keep chimpanzees as “pets,” devastating consequences often follow—as in the cases of Travis, who was fatally shot after nearly mauling a family friend to death, and Buck, who was also killed after he attacked his owner’s daughter. However, YouTuber Aya Katz apparently doesn’t care about any of that, because she’s refusing to surrender Bow—the last solitary chimpanzee held in a private home in the U.S.
PETA has warned Katz about what will happen if she doesn’t transfer Bow to an accredited sanctuary, but she refuses to listen. Instead, she parades the chimpanzee in her monetized YouTube videos and peddles merchandise associated with him.
A year after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cited Katz for illegally exhibiting Bow without a license—prompted by a tip from PETA—we’re asking the agency to take further action by investigating her, noting that she’s putting Bow, other humans, and herself in grave danger.
It’s likely not a matter of if Bow will attack a human but when.
Chimpanzees are highly social, complex animals who need to be in the company of other members of their species. In nature, they live in large groups and use a wide range of unique vocalizations, facial expressions, and gestures to communicate with each other.
When Bow isn’t being exploited in Katz’s YouTube videos, he’s often held in solitary confinement in a barren cage. Without ample space to move around, trees to climb, or other chimpanzees to forge meaningful relationships with, he likely suffers from severe psychological distress.
As chimpanzees mature, they become more aggressive and erratic—these ingrained behaviors are responses to competition and hierarchies within their social groups in nature. Keeping Bow in isolation won’t deter his natural instincts—it could actually trigger even more aggression.
Let history be a lesson—a “pet” chimpanzee is a ticking time bomb.
There is no exception to this rule: Confining great apes to human homes is cruel and extremely dangerous. If Bow were to escape, he could severely injure humans or animals nearby in a matter of seconds. Since authorities respond to such situations with lethal force, Katz’s refusal to send him to an accredited sanctuary could be a death sentence for him.
Travis and Buck were killed because misguided humans, including spineless authorities, grossly failed them. The USDA must take action for Bow before it’s too late.
Chimpanzees Are Not ‘Pets’ or Props—Take Action for Bow!
Bow deserves to spend the rest of his life at a true sanctuary, where he could bond with other chimpanzees, run and play in naturalistic habitats, and be free of exploitation. PETA has facilitated the rescue of 24 chimpanzees—including seven who, having been held in solitary confinement, were given the opportunity to thrive in a true sanctuary environment.
More Ways to Help Chimpanzees
The Captive Primate Safety Act is a crucial piece of legislation that would prohibit breeding or possessing chimpanzees and other primates in private homes. If it’s passed into law, humans would no longer be able to buy monkeys and apes to keep as “pets.”
