“When I met Samantha, a four-month-old white-faced capuchin riding on the back of a standard poodle, my life changed forever.”
That one unforgettable moment propelled Kari Bagnall from a career in interior decorating to founding Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary in Gainesville, Florida. Today, the sanctuary provides permanent refuge for nearly 200 monkeys, most rescued from laboratories, the pet trade, or cases of neglect.
The First Monkey Who Changed Everything
Samantha, the baby monkey Kari’s then-boyfriend insisted on purchasing, became the catalyst for an entirely new path. What began as a personal effort to give one animal a better life led Kari 
to discover the dark world of monkey breeding and laboratory research. Determined to stop the cycle, she eventually maxed out her credit card to purchase monkeys bound for auction and began the foundation for Jungle Friends.
Why Monkeys Are Targeted
As Kari explained, monkeys are prime targets in research because they are so biologically similar to humans. U.S. laws require drugs to be tested on rodents, then on non-human primates, before advancing to human trials. Yet the results are often unreliable.
“Monkeys in labs live alone, stressed, and species-isolated,” Kari said. “You can’t extrapolate accurate results from an animal living under those conditions.” Many arrive at Jungle Friends with hair loss, self-inflicted wounds, or deep psychological scars after decades in research facilities.
Healing Broken Bonds
Much of the sanctuary’s mission focuses on helping monkeys “turn into monkeys again.” For animals ripped from their mothers or shuffled through multiple homes, the trauma of broken bonds runs deep. Kari drew on her earlier volunteer work with CASA, advocating for abused and neglected children, to make the connection. “Once you break three bonds, whether with children or monkeys, it becomes very difficult to trust again,” she said.
At Jungle Friends, primates are carefully reintroduced to companions who speak their language. Watching them climb trees, feel sunshine for the first time, or groom one another is proof that recovery is possible.
The Difference Between Zoos and Sanctuaries
Kari is quick to point out the difference between true sanctuaries and zoos. “Zoos are designed for people. Sanctuaries are designed for the animals,” she said. At Jungle Friends, habitats are filled with edible plants, toys, and space to climb, forage, and play. The goal is to create what Kari calls an “almost wild habitat,” where monkeys can live as naturally as possible.
Funding and Awareness Challenges
Running a 50-acre sanctuary is no small feat. With around 20 staff and over 180 monkeys, the monthly operating cost approaches $100,000. Despite appearances on Nat Geo and Discovery, Kari notes that “monkey consciousness” is still low compared to awareness of dogs, cats, or even farmed animals. To bridge the gap, Jungle Friends offers programs like Sponsor a Monkey, where supporters connect with individual animals and receive updates, photos, and even paintings created by their sponsored primate.
A Call to Action
For Kari Bagnall, every rescued monkey is a story of resilience and hope. Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary stands as both a refuge and a powerful reminder of why ending animal research and the pet trade is so urgent.
As she told listeners, “Humans are poor surrogates for monkey friends. They need each other, and they deserve a second chance at life.”
Learn more at JungleFriends.org and support the mission to create a better life for primates everywhere.
Episode Highlights
[00:00] Introduction
[03:50] The monkey that changed everything for Kari.
[06:00] The laws that do, or don’t, protect lab monkeys.
[10:00] From broken spirit to monkey once again.
[11:30] The start of Jungle Friends.
[14:30] Jungle Friends finds a home in Gainsville, Florida.
[18:00] The difference between a zoo and a sanctuary is HUGE!
[21:00] People need to stop compartmentalizing.
[24:00] Research monkeys can endure a life of pain for decades.
[28:00] Developing monkey consciousness.
[29:30] Funding challenges and how Jungle Friends addresses them.
[33:15] Sponsorships are essential in fundraising.
[37:30] Rescuing monkeys from nicotine research.
[43:00] It’s NOT a good idea to have a pet monkey.
About Kari Bagnall
Kari Bagnall is founder and director of Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary, a non-profit organization offering a safe haven for monkeys in need of permanent sanctuary care. Jungle Friends is home to nearly 200 new-world monkeys. Most were retired from laboratory research, others were cast off from the exotic pet trade, and some were confiscated by the authorities. Kari was introduced to a vegetarian lifestyle nearly 50 years ago when she moved into a yoga ashram in Phoenix. Today, vegetarian communal living is a part of the Jungle Friends experience for interns and volunteers from around the world. As part of the sanctuary culture, people are encouraged to adopt a vegan lifestyle, to have compassion for all of the Earth’s remarkable inhabitants, and to join us in hope that these individual acts of kindness across species will one day reach the ‘critical mass’ needed to transform the world.
About Cheryl Moss
Cheryl Moss is the host of the Better Life for Animals podcast, where she shares uplifting stories from sanctuaries and highlights the work of vegan activists, ethical consumers, and animal welfare leaders. A passionate advocate for animal welfare, she is dedicated to ending factory farming and is working to raise $100,000 for Mercy For Animals to support underrepresented sanctuaries.
Beyond podcasting, Cheryl is a banking professional and an accomplished children’s author. A graduate of Main Street Vegan Academy, she promotes plant-based living through her books, 
Gabriel, Cluck, and Pickle the Pig, which inspire young readers to embrace kindness, sustainability, and compassion for animals.
When not advocating, she enjoys Pilates, and spending time with her rescue dogs and grandchildren. Through her work, writing, and activism, Cheryl continues to inspire positive change for animals and the planet.
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