Monkeys lend helping hand to disabled

Spinal cord injuries often have permanent, life-altering consequences. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 200,000 Americans are living with a spinal cord injury. Out of those individuals, 42.5 percent are paraplegic - unable to move or feel the lower body - and 56.4 percent are quadriplegic - unable to move or feel their arms and legs.

Living with paralysis can be emotionally and physically debilitating for the estimated 87.9 percent of people with spinal cord injuries living independently - that's where monkeys come in handy. Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled trains capuchin monkeys to be service animals for people with limited mobility, providing their recipients with lifetime care.

In this picture, a trained service monkey practices flipping a light switch at The Monkey College training facility in Boston, Mass.