At Helping Hands' request, Wood has had Kooey's upper and lower front teeth removed for human protection. The Simian Society, an association of primate specialists, recommends having liability insurance. Before committing to a monkey, check with the appropriate regulatory agency in your area. You may need a special permit or a United States Department of Agriculture license. Helping Hands provides each service monkey a metal identification tag to wear.
Owners receive a wallet card.
So far, Kooey has been welcome almost everywhere. Still, some store managers have asked Wood to take her monkey and leave. Even the airlines have differing rules on transporting monkeys. Only Continental Airlines welcomed Kooey , acknowledging his service animal status. In May, still unbalanced, Wood fell and fractured her knee.