As a military veteran, I devoted the prime years of my life in service to protect and provide a hopeful future for the inhabitants of Afghanistan and Iraq. Today, my mission has shifted to protecting those who cannot protect themselves; animals who have no voice of their own.

I am talking about monkeys who are being tortured and their horrifying ordeal is shamelessly broadcasted all over social media. Facebook, a primary example, is hosting these abhorrent videos on a daily basis. It's a slap on the face of our moral responsibility as a society to safeguard helpless creatures.

There is an urgent need to enact legislation to prevent such cruelty from being glorified on digital media. The absence of such a law allows these tragic spectacles to circulate, further perpetuating the cycle of abuse, torture, and inhumane treatment of monkeys.

According to the World Animal Protection organization, the illicit exotic pet trade, which includes monkeys, sees hundreds of thousands of animals trafficked each year (World Animal Protection, 2021). Sadly, this figure includes only those who are forced into the pet trade, and does not account for the countless animals tortured for entertainment. This calls for an immediate intervention.

We are demanding that a federal bill be passed, making it a crime for social media platforms to allow such content on their networks. In doing so, we can hit at the root of the problem, making it untenable for those who indulge in this heinous act to get the publicity they seek, thereby discouraging them.

Help put an end to this horrifying assault on our closest genetic relatives. Stand with us as we strive to make a difference in this space and give animals the rights and protection they so rightly deserve. Sign this petition now and raise your voice against animal torture.