IRVING, Texas — A North Texas influencer is trying to get her pet spider monkey back.
Brandi Botello, who has nearly 43,000 followers on Instagram, has posted photos of the nearly-3-year-old spider monkey, called Jorgie Boy, around town dressed in pajama sets or onesies.
Botello has been separated from Jorgie since Saturday morning when Dallas police say they confiscated the monkey after police say Botello was involved in a single-vehicle crash at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday in the 9900 block of Harry Hines Boulevard.
Police say the driver was suspected of driving while intoxicated and taken to the hospital for a medical evaluation, and no humans or animals were injured.
Dallas police say the monkey was transferred to Irving. Police in Irving say the monkey was transferred to a sanctuary to care for it.
Botello said in a GoFundMe she set up that she’s accused of being the driver.
Since then, Botello has shared photos of Jorgie Boy on social media and her followers have shared her posts with the hashtag “Free Jorgie Boy.”
“I’m devastated, I’m hurt, I’m sad, depressed, stressed, mad, worried,” Botello wrote in an Instagram story. “Every time I hear his name I cry this is going to take a while for me to get over! He was literally my child.”
It’s legal to own some exotic pets, including monkeys, in Texas, but permits are required. The city of Irving, though, prohibits the keeping or selling of wild animals and Irving police say residents aren’t allowed to have primates.
Police say they're still investigating the crash.