A social media-famous spider monkey has been rescued from an influencer's care after a suspected drunk driving incident led to concerns about his health.
Jorgie Boy, nearly three years old, became a viral sensation through his Instagram account, shared by his then-owner, Brandi Botello, a Dallas-area influencer. However, after a single-vehicle accident over the weekend, police seized Jorgie Boy when Botello, suspected of driving while intoxicated, was found with the monkey in the car.
Although Botello claimed she wasn't driving, the incident led authorities to assess the monkey's health, revealing signs of malnutrition and a bone disease, Dallas News reported.
Jorgie Boy has been transferred to Funky Monkey Ranch, a sanctuary, where he is undergoing treatment for rickets and other health issues linked to poor nutrition. The sanctuary's owner, Dwan Johns, has vowed that the monkey will not return to Botello.
"His joints are all swollen, his face and jaw is deformed, and we just knew that something was off," Johns said. "We have to prevent him from any climbing, no swinging ... We have to be so careful with him that even if he reaches his hands up and wants us to grab him by his hands and lift them up like we would a normal monkey, we can't do that because we could actually break his arms."
Meanwhile, Botello has turned to her 40,000 followers on social media, using the hashtag #FreeJorgieBoy, in efforts to regain custody of the monkey.
In this case, the institution is suggesting accusations of animal neglect. Botello denies any claims of negligence.
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