CWAPC Newsletter

New Incident Reports are now available on the Captive Wild Animal Protection Coalition website. These reports document the increasing number of human injuries and deaths as well as animal escapes, deaths, and confiscations resulting from the growing trade in wild animals. In August, a 17-year-old girl was allowed to pose with an adult tiger for a photograph; when the animal was startled, Haley Hilderbrand paid with her life. In September, a tiger cub was found running loose on a Texas Interstate; in Michigan, a man died and a deputy was shot during a confrontation with officials who were investigating the man's 14 wolf-hybrids. In October, a Pennsylvania drug bust revealed five alligators and a crocodile in a basement. To view all Incident Reports: http://cwapc.org/pr/index.html#CWAReports

There is a growing trade in pet monkeys and apes in the United States, with an estimated 15,000 primates in private hands. Many nonhuman primate pets start out small and cute, but as they grow, they can become extremely dangerous. In September, four chimpanzees escaped from a Nebraska facility; three were shot and killed after tranquilizers failed to subdue them. Our Primate Incident Report is a tragic testament of the dangers of keeping primates as pets. Additionally, nonhuman primates can spread dangerous diseases such as Herpes B, yellow fever, monkeypox, Ebola and Marburg virus. See our Primate Incident Report: http://www.cwapc.org/pr/download/PrimateIncidents1995-2005.pdf

How can we regulate this growing problem? The Captive Primate Safety Act — H.R. 1329, sponsored in the House by Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rob Simmons (R-CT), and S. 1509, sponsored in the Senate by Senators James Jeffords (I-VT) and Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) — was introduced to prohibit interstate and foreign commerce in nonhuman primates (chimpanzees, monkeys, lemurs and others) for the pet trade.

For information on how you can help get this important legislation enacted into law, visit the HSUS site at: https://community.hsus.org/campaign/US_2005_primates_pets3

A dramatic increase in the number of incidents involving Reptiles has been recorded this year. Reptiles are becoming increasingly popular as pets in the U.S. Most reptiles kept as pets are taken from the wild and suffer when forced to live a captive life; more then 90% die within the first year of captivity. People are attracted to the unique and exotic — and the dangerous. Venomous snakes, alligators and large lizards obviously represent a significant risk of injury and even death, but even the smallest reptile can carry salmonella, and can deliver a nasty wound. The following report summarizes the recent incidents involving reptiles. See our 2005 Reptile Incident Report: http://www.cwapc.org/pr/download/ReptileIncidents2005.pdf

The organizations that make up CWAPC are more powerful due to the unity of our position and our collective efforts on these issues. CWAPC strives to accomplish what no individual or single organization can — to bring an end to the trade in wild animals as pets, improve the quality of life for captive wild animals, and ensure higher levels of public safety.

Visit www.cwapc.org for more information. Please forward this newsletter.