Monkey Needs Spanked- Heather Grady

Judge orders monkey returned to bipolar owner in Fort Worth

07:36 AM CST on Thursday, December 6, 2007

By CHRIS HAWES / WFAA-TV

A monkey that became caught in the middle of a battle between her owner and the Humane Society was returned home Wednesday.

Heather Grady, who is bipolar, said she depends on "Zoe," a 3.5 pound monkey, to keep her stable.

"She came to know my symptoms, and one day she brought me my medicine bottle as if to say, 'Momma, you're not right. Momma, something's wrong."

Grady said she has made mistakes. Over the summer, she went to jail for five weeks over bad check charges. During that time, Grady asked a relative to watch the monkey.

"He assured me she would be in his hands until I got home," Grady said.

However, when she got out of jail, she said the monkey was gone. Zoe's caretaker apparently became overwhelmed and was placed in the hands of the Humane Society of North Texas. And Director Tammy Hawley had no plans of giving her back to Grady.

"No, I do not," Hawley said when asked if she believed Zoe was truly a service animal.

Hawley said she is unconvinced since Zoe had already been placed at the shelter before when Grady was briefly hospitalized for her mental illness.

"We are concerned that history will repeat itself, and Zoe will be left to try to fend for herself," Hawley said.

When Grady realized she couldn't convince the Humane Society, she hired an attorney to seek a restraining order..

A judge ordered the Humane Society to return Zoe Wednesday.

Hawley said she is worried about the future.

"I feel responsible that maybe I let her down," she said.

But the erratic behavior Hawley fears will endanger Zoe is the very reason Grady claims to need her.