Update RE: Urgent Alert! Call Today to Save Monkey

March 11, 2008

Please continue to call the Spokane City Council and Health Dept (contact info below) and politely urge them not to euthanize Chico, the poor macaque monkey, but to instead allow the Born Free Sanctuary to take him. The Spokane Health Dept has decided to look for someone else to kill Chico. If the monkey had rabies, he'd be very sick or dead by now. It makes no sense to put him to death. Thank you. Margaret********************Shelter refuses to kill ChicoSpokane health district looks for someone to euthanize monkeyAssociated Press - March 10, 2008 3:35 PM ETSPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - The Spokane Regional

Health District is looking for someone to euthanize a macaque (muh-KAHK') monkey after an animal control shelter declined to perform the procedure.The animal, named Chico, has been held at the Spokanimal C.A.R.E. shelter since escaping its owner's home and biting three people Feb. 28. Shelter officials told health authorities Monday they would not euthanize the animal, which is the only way to test for rabies.Health district spokeswoman Cathy Cochrane says district officials were looking for someone else to euthanize the animal.Cochrane says time is of the essence because rabies vaccinations must start within two weeks of being bitten.Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. , Margaret Morin <dogs_good wrote: A "pet" monkey escaped and bit 3 people 10 days ago in Spokane, WA. A report in the media stated yesterday that the monkey will now be killed today (Monday) to test for rabies.Here is the link to the newspaper article about the Health Department's decision to kill the monkey:http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=14031We have been involved with this monkey since the story broke on 1st March and have told the representatives at SpokAnimal, where the monkey is being quarantined, the news media and the health department that our Sanctuary (Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary) will take this monkey and pay all costs of transportation.This is a tragic situation. There is no medical reason why this monkey should be killed. The only reported case of a "pet" monkey having rabies was almost a hundred years ago and involved a monkey bitten by a

rabid dog. Moreover, Chico, the Spokane monkey has been in quarantine for 10 days since the incident (28th February) and has shown no sign of rabies to my knowledge.The decision to kill Chico can be nothing more than a bureaucratic and political move. We need animal welfare organizations and individuals to respond immediately. This morning is a critical time and we should do what we can to save this monkey's life. We need polite phone calls to be made to the media, the Public Health Department and Spokane City officials calling for this monkey not to be killed but released to a sanctuary (Note that they are two hours behind us). 509.625.6255 Spokane City Council 509.324.1500 Health Department509.625.6250 Mayor's office PLEASE CALL NOW. DON'T WAIT. According to the report, the monkey is to be killed sometime today.Ned-------Nedim C. Buyukmihci, V.M.D.Co-director, Born Free USA Primate SanctuaryBorn Free USA united with Animal Protection InstituteE-mail: nedWeb site: http://www.api4primates.org/

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