Thousands of pet primates could be seized across the UK as a ban on keeping monkeys comes into force.
Some of the 4,000 to 5,000 marmosets, capuchins, squirrel monkeys, and other pet primates estimated to be kept in British homes could be put down if appropriate new homes are not found.
Under laws coming into effect on April 6th, owners will have to prove they can keep primates to high ‘zoo-level standards’ and obtain a licence.
Any private individual keeping a primate on the 6th April deadline, without a licence, will be doing so illegally, and could face an unlimited fine or even jail.
But only three licence applications were made to local authorities in England by the start of November, despite applications being open for a year, according to a report by wildlife charity Born Free.
‘Those licence applications cover just 11 animals in total, and to date, only one licence has been granted, with the other two pending. Just one authority confirmed it was liaising with a current primate owner,’ the charity added on its website.
The new legislation took effect in March 2024, but implementation was delayed until this year to allow pet owners time to comply.
Standards include indoor and outdoor access, sufficient cover, enclosure size and appropriate UV light levels, which are the same as those applied to wildlife sanctuaries and zoos.
This means many owners will likely fail to comply with the new regulations, risking the loss of their pet primates. Some could be re-homed in sanctuaries, but ill pets could face euthanasia.
‘Too often, our dedicated officers are called to properties where monkeys live in the wrong surroundings, eat totally inappropriate diets and are at risk of suffering behind closed doors. This new law has the potential to change that.’
Chris Lewis, of Born Free, a wildlife charity, told The Times: ‘As soon as the local licensing authority seizes an animal, it becomes their responsibility.
‘If primates have serious health conditions, there will have to be decisions made as to what is the kindest thing for that animal.’
The Welfare Reality of Keeping Pet Primates at Home
The rise in keeping monkeys as pets in recent years has been linked to social media influence and celebrity owners, including Justin Bieber, whose capuchin monkey, OG Mally, was seized by German customs officials in 2013.
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: ‘Primates are highly intelligent and complex animals, and new laws mean that, where they are kept by private keepers, they must be provided with zoo-level welfare standards.
‘We urge private keepers to make sure they are licensed and complying with these high welfare standards, and we are working with local authorities on how to enforce the new licensing scheme.’
When the law was introduced, RSPCA Head of Public Affairs David Bowles said: ‘Meeting the needs of monkeys and other primates is practically impossible to do in a household, domestic environment.
‘That’s why this legislation will be a really important moment for animal welfare – ensuring primates can only be kept in an appropriate environment, as we all strive to create a better world for every animal.
‘Too often, our dedicated officers are called to properties where monkeys live in the wrong surroundings, eat totally inappropriate diets and are at risk of suffering behind closed doors. This new law has the potential to change that.’
Chris Lewis, Born Free’s Captivity Research and Policy Manager said, ‘Primates are complex, intelligent animals whose needs cannot be met when kept as a pet.
‘Although not the complete ban which experts and primatologists advocated for, the introduction of the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations represented an important step towards protecting privately kept primates, but their success depends on effective implementation and strict enforcement.’
