Malnourished monkeys and dogs seized from home
Lansing, IL (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Jun 24, 2011
County: Cook

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Rachel Birkenfeld

Two small monkeys and five dogs have been seized from a south suburban home where they were being kept in cages in unsanitary conditions without food or water.

The woman's 46-year-old daughter, who told officers she kept the Capuchin monkeys and dogs at her mother's home, has been charged with two counts of possession of a dangerous animal and four counts of neglect of owner's duties, according to the Cook County Sheriff's office.

Investigators with the sheriff's Office Animal Crimes Unit received a tip about the animals from a social worker doing a check on the older woman, a release from sheriff's police said.

Inside the home on the 3100 block of 192nd Street in Lansing were two Capuchin monkeys and five dogs, which were being kept in unsanitary and neglectful conditions. A malnourished female monkey was living in a small wire dog cage, while a male monkey was being kept in a large metal bird cage.

The cages were covered in excrement and cigarette butts, sheriff's police said. The dogs were also being kept in small filthy cages and none of the animals had food or water.

Rachel Birkenfeld, 46, of the 18600 block of Bernadine in Lansing, admitted ownership of the animals, was arrested on June 24, the release said. She told officers she kept the animals at her mother's home because there was more room there.

In Illinois, primates cannot be possessed without special permits from the state Department of Agriculture because they can attack and spread diseases, according to the release.

The monkeys and dogs were transported to the Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge by Cook County Animal Control.

Birkenfeld's next court date is Aug. 10 in Markham.

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