Are Monkeys Legal Pets Uk

Plans to ban the keeping of primates as pets with eight weeks of consultation were launched today Around 5,000 primates are kept as pets in the UK, including marmosets, capuchins, squirrel monkeys and lemurs. Rescue groups like the RSPCA and Wild Futures would receive about one call a week regarding the welfare of a captured monkey. The laws surrounding the ownership of exotic animals are unclear and create opportunities for the large-scale availability of primates for sale online, as well as for some pet stores. While possession of a monkey (under certain conditions) is not illegal in the UK, it is certainly controversial. Groups such as the RSPCA are calling for a ban on the detention and trafficking of primates as pets. And for good reason. Monkeys must be taken from their mothers at the age of only a few days to be „tamed“ as pets. This is cruel not only to the baby monkey, but also to the mother, who will probably have to repeat the process over and over again. Even though you can live with this on your consciousness, don`t expect others to be so understanding.

Keeping monkeys as pets is banned in England to end the „immense suffering“ caused by trade, according to new government proposals. Experts at Born Free and primatology agree that primates are totally unfit for private property. All primates have complex social, physical, behavioral and environmental needs and have a well-developed ability to feel pain, suffering and distress. Nevertheless, the sale and keeping of primates as pets is currently legal in the UK and many other countries under certain circumstances. Under UK law, it is legal to keep a monkey as a pet with a licence granted to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act, but animal welfare experts claim that only 5% of animals are actually allowed. In the UK, around 5,000 primates are kept as pets. Among the most popular species are marmosets, capuchins and squirrel monkeys. Capuchin monkeys are one of the most common primates in the animal trade. „But unfortunately, our inspectors still see shocking situations where monkeys are locked in bird cages, fed fast food, sugary drinks or even Class A drugs, without companions of their kind, living in dirt and misery and suffering from diseases.“ A lonely and depressed primate easily becomes aggressive. Monkeys can attack their owners, or if it is not their owners, then other people.

This is because they want to maintain their dominance in the hierarchy. So even if they have forged some kind of bond with you (which, as I said, is not a band-aid on another monkey), they certainly won`t allow another human being to take their perceived place in the hierarchical order. Do you really want to be the only person the monkey trusts and exposes your friends, family, and visitors to vicious attacks? And if that is not enough, pet monkeys can be carriers of diseases. Diseases that are fortunately dormant in your pet can easily be transmitted by a single scratch or bite. This can lead to unpleasant conditions (which we know how to treat) such as herpes to more serious health problems that we have never seen before. Um. Do we need to say anything else? The RSPCA is so concerned about humans keeping monkeys as pets that it has released a new report titled „Do You Give a Monkey“? The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said it is estimated that up to 5,000 of the animals in the UK are kept as pets outside of licensed zoos. In the last five years, the number of complaints about abused or neglected monkeys has tripled. This public consultation on the government`s clear commitment to ban the detention of primates such as capuchins, lemurs and squirrel monkeys is part of a new push to consolidate the UK`s position as the world`s leading animal welfare company.

Monkeys are certainly sociable – but only with their own species. Monkeys need the company of other monkeys to develop emotionally. If you rely on one person to keep company, your monkey will become depressed. No matter how well-intentioned you are, no matter how much of your life you give to a pet monkey, you will never be a substitute for their pack. He added: „Whether captured in the wild or born in captivity, primates have extremely complex social, spatial and environmental needs that cannot be met when kept as pets. Offering these intelligent animals for sale as pets inevitably leads to lifelong suffering. It is time for this embarrassing and cruel practice to stop. » Note: The government has announced new proposals to ban the keeping of primates as pets in England, including lemurs, capuchins and squirrel monkeys.

We will update this page as more details become available. In 2014, Born Free commissioned a survey into the sale of primates in licensed pet stores in England to help better understand the extent and scope of the issues associated with the sale and keeping of primates as pets. Using information collected by local authorities as part of freedom of information, Born Free identified 21 pet stores in England licensed to sell primates. We published our report on pet store primates based on the results of this research. The report highlights a growing problem for popular primates such as capuchins, vacuum cleaners, squirrel monkeys and marmosets. Primates have very specific needs. Starting with their diet alone. From fruits and vegetables to protein and supplements, figuring out what they need is a full-time job. And even if you do it well, like other animals, they get sick from time to time. Who will you call if yours gets sick or injures you? Veterinarians who specialize in caring for exotic animals, especially monkeys, are rare.

And expensive. This may surprise you, but it`s not really illegal to own a monkey. According to animal welfare organisation Born Free about pet primates, around 5,000 primates are kept as pets in the UK. Subject to certain restrictions in certain circumstances, the sale and keeping of primates as pets is currently legal in the UK and many other countries. But like Born Free and many other animal welfare organizations, we believe that monkeys should never be pets. Here are 5 reasons why: In May 2021, the UK government`s Animal Welfare Action Plan published by DEFRA confirmed its intention to ban primates as pets. Legislation should apply to the exchange and conservation of all private primates, and all efforts to ensure the well-being of existing primates throughout their lives are as good as possible. Born Free is waiting for more details on how this bill will be presented, including a timeline, and what opportunities there will be for other contributions from Born Free and other key stakeholders, in fact, as monkeys age and mature, they often become aggressive in the wild. This is a striking difference with the „best friend of man“ at home and the general well-being of dogs. As a result, the RSPCA has partnered with the Born Free Foundation, the British Veterinary Association (BVA), the Captive Animal Protection Society, Four Paws, One Kind and Wild Futures to push for a ban on keeping primates as pets.

The RSPCA has been calling for a complete ban on keeping and trading primates as pets for some time, as their needs simply cannot be met in a home environment. They are intelligent, sensitive and very social animals with complex needs.