NAPSA Responds
Featured Photo: Willy B and Mave, formerly from Wildlife Waystation and now at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Our Victories
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Upper South Carolina State Fair
The fair has scheduled “Banana Derby” monkey rodeo events.
Lawrence County Fair
The Pennsylvania fair has scheduled “Banana Derby” monkey rodeo events.
Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners
VICTORY! After NAPSA wrote to the Board members about restricting public contact with exotic species, it is now prohibited to allow public contact with nonhuman primates.
Los Angeles Angels
The baseball team uses video and live appearances of a capuchin “Rally Monkey” during games.
Chili’s Grill and Bar
The restaurant chain hands out paper placemats that promote the private ownership of “pet” monkeys.
Steven Spielberg and The Fabelmans movie
The film was filmed with a performing capuchin monkey “actor”. NAPSA and other advocates are asking the footage to be replaced with a CGI monkey prior to the film’s release.
Gastonia Honey Hunters
An Atlantic league baseball team hosted a monkey rodeo during a game.
Cincinnati.com and The Enquirer
An article promoted a pseudo-sanctuary engaging in harmful practices
City of Margate, FL and Broward County Fair
The Broward County Fair features harmful monkey rodeos in its entertainment lineup.
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
A stock photo of a humanized chimpanzee was used in an email newsletter.
Cinch World’s Toughest Rodeo
The traveling show lists a monkey rodeo in its entertainment lineup.
Visit Wichita
VICTORY! After NAPSA wrote to Visit Wichita about their promotional tourism videos featuring ring-tailed lemur petting, the footage was removed from television commercials airing locally.
The Offspring
The music video for the song “We Never Have Sex Anymore” features performing chimpanzees.
FunFit LLC
A North Dakota yoga studio is advertising the inclusion of an infant capuchin to attract participants to its classes.
Haywood County, North Carolina
VICTORY! NAPSA wrote to officials in Haywood County, NC in response to a request for an exemption to permit private ownership of capuchin monkeys, and the town upheld the ban.
Yves Saint Laurent
The fashion design brand featured a trained capuchin posing in their winter 2019 ad campaign. Download Response
TalentSmart
VICTORY ! The motivational training program had used stock photography of a humanized chimpanzee in a newsletter – but after hearing from NAPSA, will abstain from this in the future. Download Response
KSN
The news station filmed a segment celebrating a privately owned marmoset brought out to a football celebration. Download Response
The Guardian
The newspaper printed a photo of a chimpanzee dressed as a human, sitting at an office desk. Download Response
Creve Coeur, MO City Officials
City officials are being asked to reconsider a ban on privately owned primates, at the request of a woman with three monkeys she deems “emotional support animals.” Download Response
WVLT 8
A Tennessee news outlet ran a story about a local woman’s collection of pet monkeys. Download Response
The Laurinburg Exchange
The newspaper printed an article about a pseudo-sanctuary that promotes keeping monkeys in human homes. Download Response
Inside Edition
The newsmagazine highlighted Curtis, the infant vervet owned by bodybuilder and social media influencer Jay Kennedy. Download Response
Hillside Cinema
VICTORY! After hearing from NAPSA and other concerned parties, Gloucester, VA-based movie theater cancelled plans to host a showing of “The Lion King” that would have included an exhibit of exotic animals and the chance to pose for photos with a capuchin monkey. Download Response
Complex News
The website produced a video about the harms of exotic pets, but featured a pseudo-sanctuary that permitted leashed, diapered animals to have physical contact with the journalist. Download Response
Yoga Hive Philly
VICTORY! After hearing from NAPSA and others, a yoga studio cancelled the appearance of monkeys and other exotic animals at public celebration. Download Response
Photographer Robin Schwartz
The photographer’s portfolio of work includes many photographs of her daughter posing with monkeys, who wear clothing and have their teeth removed. NAPSA wrote to both Robin Schwartz and the Aperture Foundation, who supports her work. Download Response
John Stamos
In an interview, the actor commented that he is considering getting a live monkey to attend his son’s Curious George-themed birthday party. Download Response
WSVN 7News
A public event was promoted by filming celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito snuggling and feeding an infant monkey. Download Response
Cadbury
VICTORY! The chocolatier is holding a contest that encourages pet owners to submit photos of their pets wearing bunny ears – including more than one mention of pet monkeys. The photos will be used in a future ad campaign. After NAPSA wrote to Cadbury, they quickly decided to re-issue the press release for the contest…
Netflix series Maniac
An episode of the series was filmed with a ring-tailed lemur who is shown pacing around a tiny cage in many of the scenes. Download Response
CINCH World’s Toughest Rodeo
The event will feature performances by a cowboy monkey rodeo. Download Response
Odell Beckham, Jr.
The star athlete posted social media content filmed at an exploitive animal care facility, including footage of him playing football with a chimpanzee and holding diapered gibbons. Download Response
Chestertown, MD’s “A Dickens of a Christmas”
The event features an appearance by Jerry “The Monkey Man” Brown and his capuchin, Django. Download Response
Daily Mail
An article celebrated videos featuring humanized chimpanzee Limbani from Zoological Wildlife Foundation. Download Response
Time Magazine
An article glorified the use of capuchin monkeys as helpers for disabled humans. Download Response
Audible
NAPSA wrote to Amazon, the parent company of Audible, about ads appearing in the UK that feature primates posing with headphones on. Download Response
Newport News Fall Festival
Every year, the fair features Jerry “The Monkey Man” brown, and his capuchin, Django, roaming fairgrounds and interacting with attendees. Download Response
Tower Theatre, hosting Wild Kingdom’s Peter Gros
The theatre has scheduled a traveling exotic animal show. Download Response
Global Wildlife Conservation
VICTORY! After hearing from NAPSA, the organization has scrubbed their social media accounts of wildlife “selfie” photos taken with model/actress Suki Waterhouse that were part of a new campaign raising awareness about threatened wildlife. We are sure their campaign will be more effective without the conflicting messages inherent in the photos. #NAPSAresponds and people listen, bringing…
Amazon
VICTORY! After hearing from NAPSA and others, Amazon decided to cancel video advertisement that featured a long tailed macaque snuggling in bed with a human child. Download Response
Meigs County Fair
A vendor had a chained, clothed, and toothless capuchin who was posing on attendees’ shoulders for photographs. Download Response
Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo
The rodeo features monkey rodeo performances. Download Response
National Institutes of Health
The NIH’s Council of Councils Working Group on Assessing the Safety of Relocating At-Risk Chimpanzees requested public feedback on its May 2018 Report Assessing the Safety of Relocating At-Risk Chimpanzees. NAPSA’s comments are included here. Download Response
WBTV Charlotte
A recent segment highlighted a man with an “emotional support” pet marmoset who he displays local schools and group homes. Download Response
Kim Kardashian West
The celebrity posted video stories on Instagram of marmosets on the shoulders of humans in a private home. Download Response
CBS Miami
The station produced a segment promoting hands-on encounters with a chimpanzee and other exotic animals at an unaccredited facility. Download Response
A open letter regarding the “chimpanzee caregiver hug” video
NAPSA is asking media outlets like ABC, Anderson Cooper, AOL, CBS, CNN, Fox News, Inside Edition, MSN, New York Post, Today, and Yahoo to remove a misleading video featuring a captive infant chimp hugging its caregivers at Zoological Wildlife Foundation, a for-profit wildlife park. Download Response
Amazon Studios show The Grand Tour
Advertisements featured a macaque posing in a variety of humanlike ways. Download Response
Barcroft Media
The agency produced a video glorifying infant pet monkeys. Download Response
French Montana
This is the second time NAPSA is contacting the rapper – this time, it’s because he posted Instagram content with a pet capuchin monkey. Download Response
Paulick Report
The publication featured an article about a woman who breeds and owns pet monkeys. Download Response
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sought public feedback regarding their potential use of third-party inspectors to monitor licensed animal care facilities. NAPSA submitted a letter via their Rulemaking Portal, and read the letter during a public listening session on March 14, 2018. Download Response
The Frederick Keys
VICTORY! Many similar letters were mailed out in early 2018 to teams that have scheduled monkey rodeos during the 2018 season. The Frederick Keys continued to host rodeos despite NASPA and other organizations’ pleas to find another form of entertainment for their fans, but in 2019 they announced they would no longer host monkey rodeos!…
NBC television show Will & Grace
One episode of the show featured a performing capuchin monkey. Download Response
Chris Brown
The singer purchased an infant capuchin monkey for his daughter as a holiday present. Download Response
SnapPower
The tech company announced an “endorsement” and ad campaign featuring a trained capuchin monkey. Download Response
Buzzfeed Motion Pictures
Buzzfeed produced a video that featured a trained capuchin monkey, wearing a leash and diaper, interacting with a baby. Download Response
The State Gazette
The newspaper reported on a celebratory gathering of “pet” monkeys and their owners, glorifying their use in the pet trade. Download Response
Desert Empire Fair
The fair features trained baboons and capuchins that perform tricks and pose for photos with the public. Download Response
East Texas Zoo and Gator Park
The zoo posted images of a diapered infant spider monkey being brought out to promotional events and store openings. Download Response
Jeremy Renner
The actor posed with a trained chimpanzee for a photo and shared it on social media. Download Response
Shannen Doherty
The actress posed with what appeared to be a pet marmoset on her shoulder. Download Response
Stone Theatres Management, LLC
Trained chimpanzees were exhibited as part of a publicity stunt at Stone Theatres Grand 14 in Myrtle Beach, SC. Download Response
Jerry Bruckheimer
On the set of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, a capuchin monkey was visibly ill yet still used in filming. Download Response
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
The NASCAR star posed with a trained capuchin monkey on his shoulders in Honduras. Download Response
Karim Benzema
The French soccer star posed with a trained chimpanzee during a trip to Dubai. Download Response
SUNY Buffalo
A university anthropology department hosted an event featuring the inappropriate public handling of primates. Download Response
The Wilmington Blue Rocks
The Minor League Baseball team hosted monkey rodeo promotions during games. Download Response
The Erie SeaWolves
The Minor League Baseball team hosted monkey rodeo promotions during games. Download Response
The Lancaster Barnstormers
The Atlantic League baseball team hosted a monkey rodeo promotion during a game. Download Response
The Harrisburg Senators
The Minor League Baseball team hosted monkey rodeo promotions during games. Download Response
The Record
The SUNY Buffalo student newspaper reported favorably on the inappropriate handling of primates during a university event. Download Response
Zayn Malik
The singer hosted a party and video shoot featuring a leashed squirrel monkey. Download Response
French Montana
The rapper posted a video with a trained infant chimpanzee. Download Response
United States Department of Agriculture
NAPSA disagrees with the decision of the United States Department of Agriculture to suddenly make unavailable its inspection reports of licensed animal care facilities. Download Response
Jaromir Jagr
The hockey star joked about buying pet monkeys for his hockey teammate. Download Response
National Football League
The NFL Films channel featured a special on cowboy monkey rodeos. Download Response
National Geographic
The organization’s Instagram account posted a photo glorifying pet monkeys. Download Response
Fox 4 Kansas City
A news story glorified the private ownership of gibbons. Download Response
Unilad
The website continued to promote the private ownership of primates, and NAPSA issued a press release with partner welfare organizations. Download Response
Monkey rodeos
NAPSA developed a statement on the topic of sideshow attractions involving capuchin monkeys forced to race on the back of dogs. Download Response
Steve Aoki, Felix Jaehn and Adam Lambert
Victory! Steve Aoki agreed to never again use trained chimpanzees in his work after we wrote regarding a music video featuring a performing chimpanzee. Download Response
Harrisburg Senators
The Minor League Baseball team announced that monkey rodeo promotions would be taking place. Download Response
Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture
The furniture store aired commercials featuring footage of performing baboons. Download Response
Lancaster Barnstormers
The Atlantic League baseball team planned to host a monkey rodeo promotion during a game. Download Response
Rick Springfield
The singer’s album cover featured a trained chimpanzee posing in human clothes. Download Response
Bay City, Michigan officials
NAPSA applauds the city’s decision to prohibit a resident from owning a pet spider monkey. Download Response
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The late-night talk show broadcast video footage of a performing baboon. Download Response
Justin Bieber
The pop star expressed a desire to own a second pet monkey. Download Response
Ellen Degeneres
The talk show host promoted the keeping of primates as pets. Download Response
GEICO
Victory! The insurance corporation used a performing chimpanzee in a commercial, but agreed not to rely on apes for entertainment in future campaigns after hearing the concerns of NAPSA and others. Download Response
PepsiCo
The corporation’s China Beverages division produced a commercial called “The Monkey King Family”, which featured a performing macaque. Download Response
Conor McGregor
The UFC fighter announced that he is seriously considering getting a pet chimpanzee. Download Response
Suburban Auto Group
The Ford and Chevrolet dealer used chimpanzee actors in an ad campaign. Download Response Download Response
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it would end its support for invasive research on chimpanzees and retire to sanctuaries the 50 chimps that it had set aside for future biomedical research. Read FAQs for more information on exactly what this will mean, and see NAPSA’s inclusion in a New York Times article and CNN interview…
The Cincinnati Bengals
The football team featured a monkey rodeo in a halftime show. Download Response
The Alachua County Fair
Victory! A Florida county fair announced the inclusion of a monkey rodeo event, but after hearing from NAPSA and other concerned advocates, decided to ban exotic animal acts at future fairs. Download Response
Shannon Elizabeth
The actress, who is normally active in animal welfare and conservation, filmed a movie with a capuchin. Download Response
The Alachua County Fair
The Florida fair included “The Amazing Rainforest Experience,” an act featuring performing capuchins. Download Response
Peugeot
Peugeot and its advertising agency used a capuchin in a commercial. Download Response
The Nonhuman Rights Project
The animal rights group pursued a habeas corpus case on behalf of Hercules and Leo, research chimpanzees at Stony Brook University. Download Response
The Lake County Fair, the Delta Fair & Music Festival, and the Georgia State Fair
The local fairs featured a controversial monkey rodeo event. Download Response
US Fish and Wildlife Service
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced an end to the split-listing of captive and wild born chimpanzees under the Endangered Species Act. All chimpanzees will now be considered endangered. Read FAQs for more information on exactly what this will mean, and see NAPSA’s inclusion in a New York Times article on the topic. Download…
The Sun newspaper, producers and advertising agency
The publication aired a commercial that involved two macaques. Download Response
Google / Android
The corporations produced an ad campaign using an orangutan. Download Response
Target, and agency Chandelier Creative
The ad agency used a capuchin in a commercial advertising Target’s Lilly Pulitzer collaboration. Download Response
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson
Proposed ruling HB 1551 would weaken a law created to restrict primate ownership. Download Response
Ben Stiller and the co-producers of his show
The show “Big Time in Hollywood, FL”, filmed promotional segments with a chimpanzee. Download Response
McDonald’s Corporation
Victory! After hearing from NAPSA and other concerned advocates, McDonald’s pulled their ad using a live chimpanzee in a McDonald’s France commercial. Download Response
Illinois Exotic Animal Show
An animal-selling event advertised the appearance of “Mindy the monkey”. Download Response
Hayden Panettiere
The actress posed for photographs with a trained chimpanzee at an amusement park. Download Response
The Kalamazoo Growlers
The summer baseball league team promoted a monkey rodeo event. Download Response
The CHIMP Act’s Senate Bill 252
President Obama signed Senate Bill 252, clearing a roadblock to funding sanctuary retirement for federally owned chimpanzees. Download Response
US Fish and Wildlife Service
It was announced in the Federal Register that the service is proposing to remove the “split-listing” that provides unequal protections for captive and free-living chimpanzees under the Endangered Species Act. Download Response
National Institutes of Health
NAPSA applauds the National Institutes of Health’s announcing a significant reduction in the chimpanzee research it funds. Download Response