Captive Primate Safety Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill would make it illegal for most people to own, breed, or trade monkeys, chimpanzees, lemurs, and other primates. It classifies these animals as prohibited species to stop them from being kept as pets or sold in the commercial trade.
• People who already own these animals can keep them if they register them with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within 180 days. However, these owners would be banned from breeding their animals, buying new ones, or letting the public have direct contact with them.
• The policy aims to improve public safety and animal welfare. Primates can be dangerous to humans and often suffer when kept in homes or small cages that do not meet their complex social and physical needs.
• Licensed research labs and certain professional wildlife organizations would still be allowed to have primates under strict rules. The law specifically targets the private pet trade rather than scientific research or authorized sanctuaries.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.