Jessica Bond Ferguson -- the mom who shot and killed an escaped monkey Sunday to protect her kids -- wishes the whole thing never happened ... she told TMZ.

The mother of 5 told us, "I wish it didn't have to happen that way. I just wish they took better measures in taking care of it and trying to find them."

As you know ... a truck carrying Rhesus monkeys from a research center overturned in rural Mississippi last week -- 21 monkeys onboard nearly escaped the vehicle.

Thirteen were corralled by authorities, 5 were shot on sight after a supervisor was mistakenly informed the monkeys were infected with COVID, herpes, and hepatitis C -- authorities later clarified they weren't -- but 3 escaped into the wild. Play video content

One of the 3 made it into Ferguson's yard in Heidelberg,

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