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Free The Last Pet Chimpanzee in America From Illegal Confinement
Final signature count: 97
97 signatures toward our 30,000 goal
Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site
A chimpanzee named Bow lives completely alone in Missouri — and federal law says that's not allowed.
In Missouri, a chimpanzee named Bow lives completely alone. No other chimps. No social group. Just a single great ape in private custody, cut off from his own kind in a way that causes documented psychological harm — and that federal law does not allow.1
Bow is believed to be the last chimpanzee held as a private pet in the United States. The era of "pet chimps" effectively ended when Congress amended the Endangered Species Act to prohibit private ownership of chimpanzees without a federal permit. Bow's situation persists in defiance of that legal framework, and the agencies with authority to act have not acted.1,5
Two Laws. Zero Enforcement.
Chimpanzees are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Private possession without a valid U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service permit is prohibited. The Animal Welfare Act separately requires that primates be housed with members of their own species unless a veterinarian certifies that individual housing is medically necessary for that specific animal.1
Both laws have enforcement mechanisms. Neither has been applied to Bow's case. The Animal Legal Defense Fund has filed formal complaints and pursued years of legal advocacy urging USDA APHIS and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to intervene. As of late 2026, Bow remains where he is.5
What Isolation Does to a Chimpanzee
Chimpanzees are among the most socially complex animals on Earth. In the wild, they live in large communities built on intricate relationships, communication, and cooperation. Isolation is not a minor deprivation for a chimp — it is a source of measurable harm. Chimpanzees denied social contact develop signs of chronic stress, depression, and behavioral abnormality.4
Accredited sanctuaries, those meeting the standards of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, are built around the understanding that no chimp should live alone. They provide social groups, appropriate space, and species-specific enrichment — conditions a private residence cannot replicate.1
Bow Is Not an Isolated Case
Bow's situation reflects a broader enforcement failure. PETA has raised alarms about other privately held chimpanzees used for social media content, pointing to public safety risks and welfare violations that go unaddressed.6 One Green Planet reported on public backlash over footage of privately kept chimps treated as companions, a practice that normalizes conditions that are both dangerous and illegal.7 Bow has become a focal point for advocates, legal organizations, and citizens asking what happens when wildlife protection laws exist on paper but carry no consequences.2
The Authority to Act Exists Now
USDA APHIS can enforce Animal Welfare Act violations. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service can act on ESA permit noncompliance. Confiscation and transfer to an accredited sanctuary are established remedies under both statutes. There is a place for Bow — a sanctuary where he could live among other chimpanzees and receive the care the law was designed to guarantee.1,5
Every day without enforcement is another day of unnecessary suffering for an endangered animal protected by laws that exist precisely for situations like this.4
Sign the petition now to demand that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service enforce existing violations, confiscate Bow, and transfer him to an accredited chimpanzee sanctuary where he can finally live among his own kind.
