Kentucky Legislators to Look at a Bill Allowing the Use of Service Monkeys [VIDEO]

We had a monkey when I was a kid. His name was Joe. He was a little spider monkey we inherited from our next-door neighbor when she passed away. And other than the fact that he disliked everyone in the family except my mother, it was cool to have a monkey.

He would sit on my mom's shoulder while she did the dishes. We weren't allowed to eat dinner unless someone said the blessing. Seriously, he'd throw a fit. I do wish he had liked the rest of us, because he was fascinating to watch.

But he didn't and one day he bit my dad and that was the end of him. I don't know where he ended up, but who's to say he isn't still alive. Monkeys live long lives.

And they're easily trained. So it came as no surprise to me when I learned that capuchin monkeys are trained to be used as service animals.

And now Kentucky legislators are examining a bill that would permit the use of monkeys in such a fashion.

The proposed bill stems from an incident in which a Kentucky couple sought to bring a service monkey into their home to assist their daughter who'd been paralyzed in a car accident.

Lawmakers anticipate obstacles.