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Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Thousands of monkeys being bred in misery across UK



 
Joey



Monkeys

Thousands of monkeys being bred in misery across UK as home pet trade exposed

 EXCLUSIVE: Celebrity owners and a desire to stand out on social media are seeing an explosion in the trade in pet monkeys which is legal despite terrible psychological and physical suffering for the poor monkeys


By Nada Farhoud
Environment editor
3 JAN 2020



Thousands of monkeys being bred in misery across UK 

 Trapped indoors, some never leave their tiny cages and suffer devastating illnesses ranging from depression to brittle bones.


 Some are so badly neglected they need to be put down. Rescue workers say their popularity as pets is rising thanks to celebrity owners and a desire to stand out on social media.

 Tens of thousands of primates across Europe are in desperate need of rescue but are left to suffer as sanctuaries are now full.

 Rachel Hevesi, of Wild Futures monkey sanctuary in Looe, Cornwall, said: “The UK trade, which is still legal, leads to huge psychological and physical suffering.

 
Missy died shortly after rescue



 
Bush-meat ls shipped illegally to Europe
“Every time a celebrity is pictured holding a monkey we wonder what this will do to the demand. We have to turn away mon­­keys in desperate need as our sanctuary, and others, are full.”
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Breeding and selling small monkeys such as marmosets and Tamarins is legal with a licence under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act. But welfare experts say as few as 5% are actually licensed.

 The exact number of primates kept as UK pets is unknown. In 2014 it was estimated at up to 9,000 but given the inc­­reased popularity, it could now be higher.

A family of marmosets is kept in cages in the toilet
Capuchins are among the most popular. Two years ago they would fetch £1,200 but they now sell online for just £500 due to a surge in home breeding.

 Capuchin Joey was imported from South America with legal papers.

 But once in his UK home he had no access to direct sunlight, was alone for 23 hours a day and was unable to exercise.

   
Millie the marmoset's monkey cage is kept in a draughty hallway

 He ended up with rickets and also rocked so obsessively he developed an open wound at the base of his spine.

 Primate expert Dr Ben Garrod, from the University of East Anglia, said: “Primates do not make good pets. Keeping them drives their extinction in the wild.

 “It’s hard enough for a zoo to keep a healthy population let alone someone who, even with the best intentions, simply doesn’t have the time, money or expertise.”
Joey ended up in a pitiful state


  
Moms share a moment



Dr Garrod said 15 European countries have some form of ban on pet primates and called for them to be made illegal here.

 He also called celebrities such as Justin Bieber , who share pictures with pet mon­­keys, “morons”. The RSPCA, which has urged action for years, said it received calls about monkeys most weeks.
Current rules simply state owners must prevent “unnecessary suffering” and take “ reasonable steps” to meet pets’ needs.
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