A Kansas City animal activist group issued a letter urging a Shawnee pet store to release a capuchin monkey it’s held captive for almost two decades.
In early September, the group Kansas City Action for Animals issued an open letter to the Kansas Pet Animal Advisory Board accusing the Pet Stop in Shawnee of providing an inhumane environment for Frankie, a capuchin monkey the store has had in its possession for more than a decade.
The letter, which is supported by 11 different primate researchers and animal organizations, accuses the store and its owner, Greg Smith, of potentially violating the federal Animal Welfare Act, which sets that minimum standards of care and treatment certain animals must be provided for commercial sale.
The group stated those regulations require nonhuman primates be housed with members of the same species unless a veterinarian certifies that solitary confinement is needed for their health.
It also accuses Smith of having a conflict of interest with the prevention of Frankie’s release, as he serves as the president of the Kansas Pet Animal Advisory Board.
“This conflict of interest not only undermines the credibility of the Board, but also contributes to the prolonged suffering of an animal in his care,” the letter states.
In a request for comment from the Johnson County Post, Smith did not directly respond to the group’s allegations.
“Pet Stop was founded nearly 50 years ago with the mission to provide the highest level of care for our animals and to educate and equip our community to do the same,” he wrote. “We are excited about what the future holds and look forward to your first or next visit.”
Frankie has been at the Pet Stop for about 18 years
Now 18 years old, Frankie has been in the care of Pet Stop since around his first year of life, according to Kansas City Action for Animals’ website. He lives in a large cage in the store.
His safety is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture and the store has passed inspections by them every year, said a Pet Stop employee who wished to remain anonymous.
Released in April, the most recent Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service report on the business by the USDA showed no “non-compliant items.”
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Open in new tab An activist group has been asking for Frankie’s freedom
The Pet Stop and Kansas City Action for Animals have been at odds with each other since at 2023, when the group launched its “Free Frankie” campaign.
In December 2024, the organization turned up the heat on the store, holding a protest outside of the business.
The group has worked with other organizations, like the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA and its current partner, the California-based In Defense of Animals, to lobby for Frankie’s release through social media outlets like TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
Its ultimate goal is to release Frankie to one of two animal rehabilitation programs, including Wildlife Animal and Rehabilitation in Kendalia, Texas, that have experience with capuchin monkeys.
The letter serves as what the group sees as another call to action and reminder of the humanity of Frankie from experts on monkeys.
It lists statements from primate experts, ranging from Susan Alberts, a Robert F. Durden Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Biology and Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University, to Anneke DeLuycker, professor of conservation biology at George Mason University, detailing why Frankie should be released.
“Primatologists are on our side, animal welfare advocates are on our side,” Amanda Williams, a community activist with Kansas City Action for Animals, said in an interview with the Post. “It’s really just a matter of trying to get Greg to see common sense and to see Frankie as an emotionally complex being whose life they could very easily improve right now if they wanted.”
The store has not responded to the group
While representatives from In Defense of Animals have been in contact with Smith, Williams said they’ve shown no interest in releasing him.
“It seems that they’ve dug their heels in on this one,” Williams said.
Since the letter was issued, Williams said she sent it to every member of the Kansas Pet Advisory Board and spoke during the public comment portion of the group’s Zoom meeting on Wednesday. The board has not responded to the letter, she said.
“They know about it,” she said. “The people of Kansas are supposed to trust that the Animal Advisory Board is looking out for animals in the state and is trying to comply with federal regulations, comply with the law, but also comply with ethics of animal welfare, but that’s not happening, currently, in regards to Frankie.”
While the group waits for a response, Williams said they’re not going away.
“I think that we’re going to try to take some bigger swings, maybe put up a billboard near the store, try to get even larger public pressure on the board. We’re by no means going away or giving up,” she said.
Go deeper: Animal rights group steps up campaign urging Shawnee pet store to release monkey
