A monkey that allegedly escaped a neighbour’s house has been shot and killed after terrorizing a woman and nearly ripping her ear off her head.
Brittany Parker was at her home in Dickinson, Oklahoma on Sunday when she saw a monkey sitting on her porch trying to get inside the house, according to local broadcaster KOKH.
The monkey allegedly became aggressive and tried to break into the house, prompting Ms Parker to call the police for help.
When the police arrived the monkey seemed to have calmed down, so Ms Parker left her house to meet the officers. After leaving her house, the monkey jumped up and attacked her.
“He jumped on my back and landed on my head,” she told local KOKH. “He started grabbing handfuls of hair and just ripping it out. He almost ripped my ear off my head completely.”
After the attack, the monkey jumped off Mrs. Parker and ran away. Police began searching for him when they heard a pair of gunshots ring out; one of Ms Parker’s family members had shot the monkey after spotting it behind her house.
Ms Parker was then taken to an Oklahoma City hospital for treatment. She will need plastic surgery on her ear and told the broadcaster she was worried her injury could keep her from working.
Another resident had an encounter with the monkey which he captured on video and shared on TikTok. In the clip, a monkey can be seen sitting in front of a screen door and eating. After finishing, he seems to leave. The individual check-in opens their door, prompting the monkey to turn around and rush for the door.
The monkey allegedly belonged to one of Ms Parker’s neighbors, according to KOKH.
Oklahoma has no regulations prohibiting the keeping of monkeys as pets, as they are considered pets despite being exotic and non-native. Owning a monkey does not require a license in the state.
Ms Parker said she would support legislation making it harder for people to own potentially dangerous creatures as pets.
“I think there must be some kind of law that says you have to have some kind of training as well as a certificate to even own these kinds of animals,” she told KXII.
She told KOKH she was afraid for her son, who she said loves to play outside.
“Do I worry every time we go out if the merchandise is going to be attacked by something?” she asked.
She called the whole situation “very traumatic” and “very scary”.