Some say adorable, others say illegal. Either way, Dez Bryant's alleged ownership of a pet monkey is causing enough of a stir that it might result in a legal investigation.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, PETA has contacted DeSoto (Texas) Animal Control to request a formal investigation into the legality of Bryant owning a monkey.
“Monkeys belong in the wild—not (for) football players who acquire exotic animals just to make a splash on Instagram," Brittany Peet of PETA told Rapoport.
Will Brinson of CBS Sports provided a formal statement from PETA:
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) November 2, 2015
The Dallas Cowboys star became the center of controversy after posting a picture of himself with a capuchin monkey, which he named Dallas Bryant:
PETA and other animal activist groups were quick to publicly criticize Bryant and call for him to give the monkey back to a wildlife center.