The Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R. 3199) is vital legislation designed to protect public safety, public health, and animal welfare by ending the dangerous, irresponsible practice of keeping non-human primates as pets in residential settings.

Primates are highly intelligent, social, and psychologically complex animals whose needs cannot be met in a private home. The intense confinement and isolation inherent in the exotic pet trade lead to severe psychological distress, self-harm, and increased aggression.

Furthermore, private possession creates significant risks to communities:

• Public Safety: Primates are strong, unpredictable, and capable of inflicting severe, debilitating injuries on owners, neighbors, and first responders.

• Public Health: They pose a grave zoonotic disease risk, carrying pathogens such as the Herpes B virus, which is often harmless to the primate but potentially fatal if transmitted to a human.

H.R. 3199 is the necessary federal solution. It prohibits the interstate sale, transport, and private ownership of primates, effectively restricting their possession to qualified sanctuaries and accredited facilities. By supporting this Act, Congress upholds both ethical standards and community protection.