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A man from Cincinnati, Ohio, has demanded to have his emotional support monkey returned to him following accusations he drugged the animal.
Adam Kordes, 34 , had his black-capped capuchin monkey, also known as a tufted capuchin, seized in February, according to a report by the Cincinnati Enquirer.
After obtaining a warrant, local animal control visited Kordes' Westwood home. The warrant was issued after a veterinarian in Florida had seen videos of the monkey and believed it had ingested Xanax and/or cocaine and quickly needed care.
The Florida veterinarian, Jodi Thannum, saw the video and contacted Cincinnati Animal Care after she was sent footage by a woman, Teresa Bullock, who runs a monkey rescue operation in Moscow, Ohio, according to a PennLive report.
Bullock became aware of the alleged state of Neo after Kordes contacted her saying that his monkey had eaten chocolate and wasn't moving right and was crying.
Bullock said that when she arrived at Kordes' home to check on the animal she believed he had been given something else.
On Thursday, a Hamilton County Grand jury indicted Kordes on a charge of cruelty to a companion animal—a felony that is punishable by up to a year in jail.
Court documents have said that the monkey's urine tested positive for amphetamines, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Following this, Kordes' attorney, Lisa Rabanus, said she has not seen those reports and that her request for public records have been denied.
She has also filed a motion asking that the emotional-support monkey be returned to Kordes. She reiterated that Neo is his emotional support animal and said she had many unanswered questions. A hearing is set for May 12 in the Common Pleas Court.
On Thursday, a judge had also told Kordes to stay away from the black-capped capuchin. The emotional-support monkey is now believed to be in Florida.
The Official U.S. Service Animal and Support Animal Registry highlighted the difference between emotional-support animals and service animals and noted their roles to their owner in a report.
"Emotional support animals (ESA) provide comfort and support to their handler," the report said.
"These special creatures are not to be confused with therapy animals that often work with a group of people.
"The primary role of an ESA is to provide ongoing sense of comfort and security. These animals are particularly useful for handlers who require emotional support due to a mental health issue or following a traumatic event."
Newsweek has contacted Adam Kordes' attorney for comment.
About the writer
Gerrard Kaonga is a Newsweek U.S. News Reporter and is based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on U.S. ... Read more