Dealing With Some Monkey Business
It is a fact that pets have the amazing ability to make people happy. It is hard to find someone who would not want to give cuddles and pets to a purring cat or tail wagging dog. When you come home from school or a day of work your pets are there to greet you and make you feel missed and loved—because they do miss and love you when you are gone. This has gone on since the early domestication of dogs 20,000 years ago.
Now obviously dogs weren’t the first animal to be domesticated, that title is thought to belong to goats. What dogs, cats, birds, and various rodents have been, and continue to be, are pets. They are the most common types of pets around, and have been for a long time.
But what about other kinds of pets? There are obviously more animals in the world then those listed above, and let’s be real—some of them look extremely fun and cuddly.
One of those pet-tempting animals are monkeys. Although that may seem like something out of a work of fiction, people had pet monkeys since back in the 18th century.
Monkeys were by no means a common pet. Mostly only the better to-do could afford to have them where they ended being mainly a show of wealth. Although possible back then, it is also quite sad because monkeys really deserve not to be held in such environments.
By As we see from an entry in the Whatcom Humane Society ledger, a resident of Bellingham apparently learned of this after the fact. From a ledger back in the early 1900’s they asked the Whatcom Humane Society for assistance in dealing with some monkey business:
Feb. 9, 1914.
It was reported that a monkey owned by Mrs. Powell of Edens Hall was no longer desired by her. The Secretary was asked to write to the Park Board of Seattle to learn if the Board would take the monkey.
One of those pet-tempting animals are monkeys. Although that may seem like something out of a work of fiction, people had pet monkeys since back in the 18th century.
Monkeys were by no means a common pet. Mostly only the better to-do could afford to have them where they ended being mainly a show of wealth. Although possible back then, it is also quite sad because monkeys really deserve not to be held in such environments.
By As we see from an entry in the Whatcom Humane Society ledger, a resident of Bellingham apparently learned of this after the fact. From a ledger back in the early 1900’s they asked the Whatcom Humane Society for assistance in dealing with some monkey business:
Feb. 9, 1914.
It was reported that a monkey owned by Mrs. Powell of Edens Hall was no longer desired by her. The Secretary was asked to write to the Park Board of Seattle to learn if the Board would take the monkey.
As if a pet monkey in Bellingham is not interesting enough, it is stated that Mrs. Powell resided in Edens Hall. Edens Hall started as a dining hall before being converted into a 28 person dormitory for women on Washington State Normal School at Bellingham’s campus.
It is unknown what made Mrs. Powel want to give her monkey up but we can make some educated guesses for causes. Some obvious issues would be cost, legality issues, medical care, monkey habits, and space. Although an obvious thing to consider is the fact she resided in a dormitory. Maybe it is because of people like her that most dorms do not allow pets any more. Thanks a lot, Mrs. Powel.
What happened to the monkey? The last mention in the ledger comes nearly a year later and leaves us with less than what we started with:
December 1914.
The secretary reported having written to the Seattle Park Board to find a home for the monkey belonging to Mrs. Powell. No funds were available for buying the animal, and the matter was dropped.
Maybe after the Whatcom Humane Society was unable to purchase it Mrs. Powel donated it to a zoo, or perhaps found another home for it somewhere else in Bellingham, or maybe she just let it go. It is a mystery that should remain odd, and unsolved.