Currently, there are approximately 106,000 monkeys living in U.S. research facilities (~10,000 are living in Madison, WI). Amy Kerwin founded Primates Incorporated in 2004 while she was working with 97 rhesus monkeys in a laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After discovering their amazing intelligence and individual personalities, she concluded there had to be a way to both improve their welfare and increase the frequency of their placement into primate sanctuaries where they could experience a peaceful and enriching environment.

She began networking with other primate sanctuaries and discovered most of them were near capacity. As a result, they were often forced to turn away monkeys from research facilities. The reality is that these monkeys are then sold to more studies, kept on as breeders, or euthanized to free up their cages.

Additionally, thousands of monkeys are bought and sold in the exotic pet trade. Monkeys do not make good pets. They become aggressive toward humans as they age and, as a result, are frequently sent to a primate sanctuary as a solution. In fact, the sanctuaries that Kerwin initially communicated with were at capacity because they were inundated with pet monkeys. Since then, many sanctuaries have and continue to expand, but the number of monkeys in need of permanent homes far exceeds the space available.

Our goal at Primates Incorporated is to rehabilitate and socialize the monkeys in our care so that they have the opportunity to experience a life similar to that of their wild counterparts. Through behavioral observation and enrichment, we attempt to reduce the abnormal behaviors typical of captive monkeys (e.g., pacing, fur plucking, biting) and encourage the kind of behaviors they demonstrate in the wild, such as grooming, foraging, and resting. It is also our intent to house the monkeys in pairs or groups, which is closer to how they live in their natural environment.

Primates Incorporated is licensed with the USDA under the category “exhibitor,” which is required if a facility is exposing non-paid staff, such as volunteers and members of the public, to exotic animals. Research laboratories are licensed by the USDA under the category “research facility.” Despite being licensed under different categories, sanctuaries and laboratories must adhere to similar standards of care as well as third-party inspections.

In addition, Primates Incorporated is accredited through the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), whose innovative guidelines help sanctuaries exceed the federal (USDA) standards of care. In addition, we are members of the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance (NAPSA), a nonprofit collaborative organization helping to strengthen the primate sanctuary community and its resources.

Many monkeys who arrive at sanctuaries from research facilities were involved in biomedical and toxicology studies where they may have been exposed to certain diseases, drugs, and chemical compounds. During some of these studies, the effect of a specific drug or chemical is tested on a monkey’s whole-body system. But after testing has ceased, the drug or chemical leaves the body and the monkey is healthy again (unless the test harmed the animal beyond recovery or it was a planned terminal study). Additionally, there are “control” monkeys, laboratory “favorites,” breeders, and monkeys used in cognitive testing who are generally not exposed to disease or chemical substances.

Primates Incorporated requires all incoming monkeys to have a clean bill of health before arriving at the sanctuary. Laboratories employ on-site veterinarians who can perform full physicals and blood analyses to ensure monkeys are healthy before their departure.

Monkeys from the pet trade will need to undergo a full physical as well and need to be given a clean bill of health prior to signing over ownership to the sanctuary. Please let us know if you need help finding a veterinarian who can help.

Increasingly, research facilities are choosing to send their monkeys to sanctuaries at the conclusion of certain studies. Those who have made such a commitment understand the ethical value of giving these animals an opportunity to live out their days with dignity and in peace.

Thank you for considering sanctuary for the monkeys under your care! If this is your first time attempting to move monkeys from a laboratory to a sanctuary facility and you would like to be connected with other researchers who have experience doing this, please let us know. We would be happy to connect you so that you get access to the resources you need and, if appropriate, develop a standardized process for your research facility.

Monkeys from research facilities: Primates Incorporated requires that each incoming monkey has a clean bill of health, has undergone a vasectomy if a male*, and has a negative TB test within 10 days before departure to the sanctuary. Note that we require six months to prepare incoming monkeys’ indoor and outdoor enclosures. We also request a one-time contribution of $15,000 that covers 1.5 years of care for the monkey and enclosure modifications. We have to pay for the lifetime care of each monkey and so the support of the community is vital in our mission.

To learn how one laboratory helps animals achieve sanctuary, please watch this presentation: The 4th R: Rehoming, Retirement and Release 

Pet monkeys: If you are a pet monkey owner looking to place your monkey in sanctuary, we will talk with you to create a specialized transition plan and funding strategy. Once you have committed to sending your monkey to Primates Incorporated, we will create a waiting list, as we require six months to prepare the indoor and outdoor enclosures. We also require that incoming monkeys have a clean bill of health, receive a physical from a veterinarian, undergo a vasectomy if male*, and have a negative TB test within 10 days before departure to the sanctuary. If you are having a difficult time finding a veterinarian, please let us know. We may be able to connect you with a clinic to ensure your monkey receives a full physical.

Please keep these factors in mind when considering sanctuary for your pet monkey:

• Transitioning your pet monkey to a sanctuary can be very stressful. Note that you will be saying goodbye to your monkey; owners can no longer interact with their monkey after he or she arrives at the sanctuary. Our goal is that resident monkeys will spend their time learning from each other and learning to display natural behaviors. That means part of their rehabilitation process is encouraging them to socialize and interact with other monkeys and not with humans. You can still see them regularly on Facebook, become their sponsor if you wish to receive videos and updates throughout the year, or visit them from a distance during sanctuary events and tours.
• We will be asking you to donate to their cost of care. It costs over $10,000 per year to provide specialized care for one monkey, and your monkey will be spending the rest of its life under our care.

*This procedure is necessary to prevent breeding, as our long-term and gradual goal is to create multi-male/multi-female troops among the resident monkeys.

Our goal is to simulate for our monkey residents the life they would be living in the wild, where they travel and forage for food and enrichment. As such, we provide opportunities for our monkeys to move readily between indoor and outdoor environments, forage for treats within these spaces, and explore novel objects.

Our sanctuary includes large indoor and outdoor enclosures that the monkeys can travel between via elevated walkways. We place treats such as sunflower seeds and raisins on the ground and in the straw bedding to stimulate foraging behavior. All of the monkeys receive two forms of enrichment daily, which is planned by our Primate Behavior Specialist. Enrichment includes food puzzles, magazines with honey and seeds, stuffed KONG toys, music, and movies. We also feed the monkeys periodically throughout the day because doing so more closely mimics their foraging behavior in the wild. The monkeys snack on various fruits and vegetables as well as their monkey chow, which contains all of the vitamins and proteins they need.

We also coordinate volunteer days during which staff and volunteers plant vegetation for the monkeys and incorporate branches into their enclosures. Although it could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, we would one day love to construct even bigger enclosures around the existing trees on the property.

Finally, even though most of the monkeys are housed in small groups of two or three, they are keenly aware of one another and are also enriched by each other’s sights and sounds. They also get to know and trust sanctuary staff as primates in the troop. Staff can even safely groom the monkeys with a backscratcher if they display “presenting” behaviors.