Is it legal to own a monkey in Connecticut?
The short answer
No. Connecticut rewrote its law after the infamous 2009 Stamford chimpanzee attack: primates are potentially dangerous animals, with only a narrow grandfather for primates under 35 pounds possessed before October 1, 2010. No new pet primates.
What Connecticut law says
C.G.S. §26-40a bans possession of potentially dangerous animals including primates; the sub-35-pound exemption applies only to animals already possessed before the 2010 cutoff.
Which agency regulates monkeys in Connecticut
Connecticut DEEP is the authority for monkey (Nonhuman primates) possession in Connecticut.
Is there a permit for pet monkeys?
No. There is no permit pathway that allows private pet ownership.
Penalties for owning a monkey illegally
Criminal penalties and seizure; Connecticut enforces this one with post-2009 seriousness.
Local city and county rules
Statewide ban controls.
Legal alternatives in Connecticut
- Sugar Glider in Connecticut — A palm-sized gliding marsupial, legal in most states but banned in a handful of cities and states.
Frequently asked questions
What's the 35-pound rule?
A grandfather clause: primates under 35 pounds at maturity possessed before October 1, 2010 were exempted. It preserved existing small pets — it doesn't allow new ones.
Why is Connecticut so strict on primates?
The 2009 Travis the chimpanzee attack in Stamford — one of the most serious exotic pet incidents in U.S. history — directly drove the current law.
Sources
More animals in Connecticut
- Is it legal to own a raccoon in Connecticut?
- Is it legal to own a serval in Connecticut?
- Is it legal to own a fennec fox in Connecticut?
See all animals on the exotic pet laws in Connecticut page, or compare every state on the pet monkey laws by state page.
Last verified 2026-07-03 against the cited primary sources. This is a research directory, not legal advice — confirm current rules with Connecticut DEEP and your local animal-control authority before acquiring any animal.