Bill to prevent chimps as pets passes House

Keeping a chimp as a pet isn't the best idea. Now Congress is trying to do something about it.

In light of the recent attack of a Connecticut woman by her friend's 200-pound pet chimpanzee, the U.S. House of Representatives moved Tuesday to ban transporting monkeys and apes across state lines for the purpose of selling them as pets.

Bill sponsor Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., said, even though similar legislation passed the House last year, the latest attack brought "renewed urgency" for the law.

Here's the complete story from the Hartford (Conn.) Courant.

The importation of primates for the pet trade has been outlawed since 1975, but Blumenauer said 30 states, including Connecticut, allow the keeping of the animals as pets and it is easy to purchase a primate from exotic animal dealers or over the Internet.

He said there have been at least 100 reports of attacks over the past decade, 29 involving children.

Here's the bill as passed by the House.