Some background knowledge:
Carmen Presti is a well-respected resident of Niagara Falls, NY. He owns a store-front building that currently houses 25 small primates, and 2 prosimians (lemurs,) ranging in size from 8ounces - 15 pounds. Perhaps the greatest challenge for him, is that his sanctuary is also home to two chimpanzees; 26 year old Charlie, and 25 year old Kiko. Carmen acquired Charlie when he was a baby chimp, and has co-existed with him peacefully throughout all these years.

Back in his prime, Charlie was famous as the "Karate Chimp," appearing on various talk shows, band albums, etc. But make no mistake, these primates are NOT and I repeat NOT Carmen's pets. Every one of Carmen's residents are rescues. Many of them have heart-wrenching stories. A handful of the primates Carmen houses are victims of abuse. His chimp Kiko was abused as a young chimp, and as a result is deaf.
Many of his smaller primates wound up in the sanctuary as either ex medical behavioral/medical research subjects, or ex-pets. It is under the common misconception that primates make good pets since they are of a much higher intelligence level than the common dog or cat. This could not be any more false. People who acquire primates usually have no background knowledge of them, and many times get them through the black market. Primates are unpredictable, and many species can bite your digits right off. Primates can harbor zoonotic diseases, in which humans can easily extract. NOTE: Each one of Carmen's primates have been specially quarantined to USDA standards, to ensure that disease is not a immediate concern. Primates require a massive amount of mental stimulation. Think of how easily you are bored of something. Picture being put in a cage and spending hours upon hours alone, with no mental stimulation. Does that sounds like solitary confinement to you? It works virtually the same way with primates. They are not meant to be caged pets. They can prove to be deadly when releasing pent up aggression, or just plain unpredictable actions. This is why many news headlines focus on the fact that a primate turned on it's caretaker. It simply should not be housed as a free roaming, or caged pet to begin with. At least not when they aren't receiving proper mental stimulation, nutrition, and enrichment like the primates at Carmen's facility are.

Believe it or not, It's actually illegal to own a primate without proper permits in New York State, and certain species are deemed to risky to be within private hands; i.e. Capuchins. This is one of the main reasons Carmen is here to do what he does best. When a primate is caught in the wrong hands, who is there to turn to when the DEC confiscates it? Zoos? Research facilities? Euthanasia? My guess is that most cases result in the latter. Carmen's mission is to rescue what he can provide for, and to educate people about WHY primates should not be kept as pets. His goal is not to obtain as many primates as he possibly can--in fact, it's the opposite. He wants primates to stay in the wild where they BELONG. However for now, the best place for these particular animals are in the hands of a highly educated primate specialist; who is able to give them the nutrition, stimulation, and vet care that they require. In the future, perhaps Carmen's message will touch more people and primates will be banned as a potential pet in every state. One can only hope.

So what's the issue?
Currently, Carmen's facility is much too small for the amount of primates he has taken on. In 2001, Carmen and his wife Christie purchased a plot of land in Wilson, NY, with the hopes of starting fresh, and building a new-and improved facility, with better, more spacious indoor and outdoor exhibits. His plans include transforming the primate's quality of life into something much more natural--to promote better behavior and enrichment. Exhibits will be wider, taller, some even extending into natural tree-tops. The open country air is an ideal setting for these animals to live out the rest of their already burdened lives in peace and solace.
It's so important to emphasize what an upgrade it would be for these animals to have a chance at this facility. They are currently crowded in metal cages, in an indoor store front, in the middle of an urban neighborhood! While those conditions may sound questionable, they still are provided with immaculate care and stimulation. Carmen pours his heart and soul into this. He hasn't had a day off in 25+ years! His wife works two jobs to support them financially, and donations cover many expenses for them as well. Also, this is a NON-PROFIT organization. This is strictly for the animals behalf. Isn't that the way it should be?

Certain people feel differently. It is now 2012, and Carmen has yet to obtain the approval to begin construction on his new facility. The town board of Wilson has been sending him in circles of obtaining necessary federal and state permits, applications, blueprints, etc. It seems that nobody is 100% sure what steps he needs to take, and in what order. It's as if he's being rejected before he even starts! He already owns the property, has constructed a house, and now is being told that he may not be able to continue with his plans.
Also, many residents in close proximity to Carmen fear that his primates will be detrimental to the neighborhood. Some fear the primates will escape, or that the noise will disrupt their living. Some say the smell and waste will be a problem. Some think it will cause traffic to pick up, and others just down-right will not give the time of day to the thought.
Before I begin to counter these concerns, let me reiterate that this is not a new sanctuary. This has been running for 25+ years. 

Residents and neighbors of Niagara Falls have never once complained of Carmen and his Sanctuary's existence. In fact, it's a very well-percieved and enriching facility. It's shocking to realize how many people aren't even aware that there's a building full of primates close to them! Before I was an intern, I didn't have the slightest clue. That's how well kept they have been.
The noise is not to a nuisance level, and the smell is not noticeable unless you are literately within 5 feet of the facility. There has never been an instance of escape into the public, and these animals are living in cages that are worn, and yet still keep them safely housed.

A new facility means better security. USDA inspects Carmen's facility randomly each year. They mandate the types of cages, and restraints that are placed to safely keep the animals out of public reach. Cages have specialized locks, locking doors, and shifting areas, so that the animals will never be able to access the public--unless let out by a keeper. In this case, Carmen has been doing this his entire life, and clearly, as any animal keeper knows--the most important rule is CHECK.YOUR.LOCKS.
** This was rule #1 in my animal management course during college. **

The USDA also requires a 6ft. fence to surround the property as another safety precaution. Let's put it this way--if these primates exist today in chain link cages, inside of a building that has glass windows as the only barrier to the outside world and they have not escaped--how would they do so in a brand new, high security facility? Of course there's a risk, but the chances are very slim.

Waste should not be of huge concern. Has anyone ever heard of the wonderful technology of sewage and waste treatment facilities? Down the drain it goes, and we have plants that recycle our water, and properly dispose of waste. Who would of thought?! /common sense.

As for smell, again, Wilson is an agricultural district. There are cattle, pigs, poultry, and other livestock that make up a great portion of the district, and are pouring out methane gas each day. Face it, it already smells like manure. A secure building is not going to add a great deal of smell to the air.

Meanwhile, a new facility gives Carmen more room to expand on his educational purposes. He is currently affiliated with Niagara County Community College, as an internship site. I myself have interned for him, and I learned more than I thought I ever wanted to know about primates. I ,too, was ignorant to the fact that primates as pets was such a horrific idea. I had no idea about rules and regulations for sanctuaries, and just how important their existance is. 

So in conclusion, the Presti's just want to live their lives, and continue on their mission in peace. Why is it that we can let these primates co-exist without problem, yet as humans, we can't even let our neighbors feel at home?

Before I go though, let me challenge your mind with this fact: Chimpanzee and Human DNA are up to 98% similar and possibly even greater!
Why would you not want to learn and protect a species that you so easily can relate to?