S.A. man cited after pet monkey bites North Side bank employee

Monkeys have made headlines around the world. And this is the second time a baboon has escaped in San Antonio.

Monkeys have made headlines around the world. And this is the second time a baboon has escaped in San Antonio. Photo: Monkey Blur Photo: Monkey Blur Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close S.A. man cited after pet monkey bites North Side bank employee 1 / 24 Back to Gallery

Animal Care Services has cited and fined a man after his juvenile Macaque monkey bit a female employee of a North Side bank last week.

ACS spokeswoman Lisa Norwood said ACS officers removed the animal from a home off Babcock Thursday morning with the aid of veterinary staff from Primarily Primates, a state-approved quarantine facility, located at 26099 Dull Knife Trail off Boerne Stage Road.

Norwood said the man received two citations and faces fines up to $2,000. He will have to pay fees for the monkey, named Louie, undergoing 30 days of quarantine and care from caretakers and a veterinarian. The Macaque will also be tested for rabies and Herpes B, as prescribed by the Metropolitan Health District.

According to witness accounts, the male monkey, under one-year old, was wearing a blue T-shirt, what appeared to be a diaper and was carrying a stuffed animal. He had a harness and leash, but wasn't restrained at the time of the the incident.

Witnesses said after the bite, the man picked up the monkey and left. The owner told authorities that the monkey was a service animal that provided help for a disability.

ACS field supervisor Audra Houghton said the monkey was allowed to interact with people and at the time, was not restrained properly. She said the Americans with Disabilities Act outlines the use of service animals and rights of a person with disabilities. Currently, the definition of a service animal is confined to animals that are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities.

"There are a lot of people who have a real need for a service animal," she said. "It shouldn't be climbing on people, it should be working; a service animal is there to provide things you can't do for yourself."

ACS assistant director Vincent Medley said there's a reason local laws prohibit keeping primates within city limits.

"Exotic animals, like monkeys and other primates, require specialty housing and diets along with experienced, highly educated handlers," he said. "Keeping a Macaque monkey in a private home is not only illegal, it's courting disaster."