Missouri woman with PTSD fights city law to keep 3 emotional support monkeys: 'They assist me'
CREVE COEUR, MISSOURI: A woman from Missouri is squaring off with city authorities in an attempt to keep her three emotional support monkeys who, she says, are vital to her mental well being and assist her in dealing with her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The incident came to light after Texanne McBride-Teahan's neighbor alerted city authorities, citing that the primates are dangerous. McBride-Teahan lives with three monkeys in Creve Coeur, and all of them are reportedly registered as emotional support animals.
"They are not dangerous animals. They are trained. They assist me. I have PTSD because of something that happened to me, a very bad thing that happened to me a long time ago," she said at a city council meeting, according to WTAP.
McBride-Teahan added that she has lived and trained with the monkeys for 20 years. She had not had an issue regarding her animals until she moved to Creve Coeur a month ago when one of her neighbors complained. Reports state that a neighbor, who saw one of the monkeys outside, was apprehensive of a possible attack and called the city.
McBride-Teahan's neighbor, Jim Hentschell, said: "It's a wild animal. They belong in zoos, you know, or in their natural habitat. I believe in the rule of law. If they are considered a dangerous animal and can carry something as nasty as hepatitis, they shouldn't be here."
Reports state that multiple neighbors, who were concerned about the presence of the monkeys in their area, brought up the issue during a city council meeting. McBride-Teahan was subsequently forced to defend her monkeys, as she attempted to explain that they would never hurt anyone.
Her doctor also provided a note which stated that the primates have been "prescribed" as emotional support animals to her. The note reportedly read: "It is my professional opinion that the presence of these animals is a necessary treatment for the mental health of Ms. McBride-Teahan."
However, despite McBride-Teahan's attempt to defend her animals, the city of Creve Coeur cited her. The city law states that non-human primates are considered "inherently dangerous animals", alongside lions, alligators, and pythons, and none of them are permitted in residential areas of the region.
McBride-Teahan now has a court hearing scheduled for November, where a judge will decide whether her emotional support animals will be permitted to live with her.