Overview
- Eutawville town clerk Casey Hill spotted the spider monkey during the Crappie Classic and Fall Fest on Oct. 4 and coordinated with Mayor Brandon Weatherford to track it.
- Hill set a hot cup of coffee on the ground, then stepped on the animal’s leash as it investigated, allowing the capture without reported injuries.
- A woman soon identified the primate as her pet, Ava, and reclaimed the animal after the incident.
- Spider monkeys are legal to own in South Carolina without a permit, though a 2025 proposal would require registration of all pet primates.
- Animal-welfare advocates say spider monkeys have complex social and dietary needs, and recent primate incidents in the state include a 2024 escape of 43 rhesus macaques from the Alpha Genesis facility.