What to Know
- "JoJo" the monkey often went to Carrabbas with her owners on Monday nights, which became to be known among some staff as "Monkey Mondays."
- JoJo bit the 8-year-old boy when she became startled, according to an FWC report.
- At the time of the incident, JoJo wasn't vaccinated for rabies because her owners said their vet said it wasn't recognized in the state.
A 9-month old Capuchin monkey named JoJo was eating dinner at Carrabba's with its owners when it bit an 8-year-old boy trying to pet the animal in its high chair, according to a report issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Eating dinner at Carrabba's was not an unusual occurrence for JoJo, whose visits to the Stuart, Fla. restaurant on Monday nights became known among staff as “Monkey Mondays,” according to the report. JoJo’s owners, Mary and Richard Van Houten, often allowed people to interact with and take photos with JoJo, the report said.
Joe Ignelzi, the boy’s father, was one of these customers. After seeing JoJo in the patio area of the restaurant on July 16, Ignelzi encouraged his son to pet the animal, as Ignelzi had done on previous occasions.
According to the report, Mary Van Houten said she cautioned Ignelzi that JoJo was hyper, but Ignelzi still allowed his son to pet the monkey. At first, JoJo caressed the boy’s hand, but then bit one of the child’s fingers, the report stated.
The child pulled his hand back, yelling, which startled JoJo and caused the bite to worsen, the monkey’s owners said in the report. The boy’s parents took him to the hospital, where doctors washed the wound and gave him antibiotics.
Following the incident, investigators went to the Van Houten’s home to observe the animals. The home and garage housed five different monkeys, including JoJo and another Capuchin monkey, the report said.
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It was determined the Van Houten’s had the necessary safety requirements for the creatures, including proper food, water and space. However, JoJo had not received a rabies shot, the owners said during a subsequent interview with an FWC official.
The Van Houten’s said JoJo hadn’t received the shot because their veterinarian told them it wasn’t recognized in the state, according to the FWC report. They were each cited for two misdemeanors: Owning an exotic animal that caused injury to another person, and not having the rabies vaccination for JoJo.
On Friday, Mary Van Houten said JoJo now has the rabies vaccination, according to WPBF. But the couple will no longer allow strangers to pet their monkeys.
In the FWC report, the owners of the Carrabba's restaurant on Federal Highway said they will no longer allow monkeys on their patio area. The establishment already had a policy in place that prevented the animals from eating inside.
The restaurant was not found in violation of FWC regulations, as the Van Houten’s had proper licenses to exhibit exotic animals in Florida.
