Last week, Freedom for Animals visited one of Manchester`s largest pet stores, which we introduced in October 2020 with the sale of marmosets. What we found was even more heartbreaking than our first visit. Common marmosets are the most common primate pets, in part because no license is currently required to purchase one. They are native to the tropical rainforests of South America, a world far from a tiny metal cage in England. Monkey World is an organization that supports many governments around the world. The UK-based company is helping to stop the illegal smuggling of primates taken from the wild. The report highlights a growing problem for popular primates such as capuchins, tamarinds, squirrel monkeys, marmosets and marmosets. Under UK law, it is legal to keep a monkey as a pet with a license granted under the Dangerous Wildlife Act, but animal rights experts say only 5% of animals are actually allowed. In fact, it is still legal to sell a primate in the UK (from January 2021). However, you will need special documentation for the sale of certain species. The marmosets that were kept in the two 3 m2 wire cages continued to live a life of severe deprivation. A sinister clue on their enclosure announced that not only the baby monkeys had already been sold there, but also the next two litters; torn from their mothers and forced to endure a lifetime of imprisonment and suffering. The announcement marks the start of renewed government efforts to further raise animal welfare standards outside the EU, including measures to end the export of live animals and combat dog and puppy smuggling, with further proposals to improve standards and eliminate cruel practices to be introduced in the coming months.
For an African dwarf hedgehog, you need a cage of at least 3 feet by 1.5 feet or more. They can also live very happily in large rabbit houses. The Dangerous Wildlife Act 1976 (DWAA) requires inspections and licences for certain animal species (including certain primates) that are considered to pose a risk of human injury. The DWAA is primarily public health and safety legislation and only covers animal welfare secondarily. The Schedule to the DWAA lists the species that require a licence to keep. However, the most commonly kept primate species in the UK, the marmoset, is not recorded. It`s perfectly legal to keep giant snails in the UK, but giant African land snails are considered an invasive species that could significantly affect your area`s ecosystem if released into the wild, decimating greenery and wiping out food sources for our native snails. So maybe not these beauties. Giant African land snail Baby marmosets that are so small were mistakenly sold as pygmy marmosets or finger monkeys. They are taken from their mothers far too early by breeders who convince buyers that they can be tamed.
These animals are destined for many problems later in life. Unfortunately, it`s technically legal to own a marmoset in the UK, but we`re fighting primates as pets and calling on the governments of England and Wales to change that. Owners of most monkey species need a permit for dangerous wildlife. This legislation applies mainly to zoos and wildlife parks in the United Kingdom. However, it is not yet necessary to conserve the most popular monkey species (for example, tamarinds and marmosets). It is illegal to keep a primate in the UK without a licence. You can apply online at the Gov.uk website if you meet the criteria to keep a Galago (baby bush). We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world, and these plans are part of a series of steps we`re taking to raise the bar even higher, such as ending the export of live animals and cracking down on illegal puppy smuggling. Learn about marmosets and why they should not be kept as pets. Born Free and primatology experts agree that primates are totally unsuitable for private property. All primates have complex social, physical, behavioral and environmental needs and have a well-developed ability to feel pain, suffering and stress. 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.
Primates, which include capuchins, lemurs, marmosets and tamarins, are highly intelligent mammals that need open habitats, warmth and social contact. To purchase a primate listed in Annex A, the person selling the specimen must hold a certificate of sale issued in accordance with Article 10 of the EU CITES Regulation. Primates listed in Appendix B can be traded within the EU without CITES documentation, provided that “legal acquisition” is demonstrated. Four other adult marmosets were abducted by breeders and housed at Monkey World in Dorset. Greater Manchester is Britain`s illegal monkey capital, according to the RSPCA. For all these reasons, we don`t think marmosets should be kept as pets. An estimated 5,000 primates are kept as pets in the UK, including marmosets, capuchins, squirrel monkeys and lemurs. Rescue groups such as the RSPCA and Wild Futures would receive about one call a week related to the welfare of a captured monkey. African pygmy hedgehogs are sensitive to cold and temperature fluctuations, so you need to heat the cage with a heating pad and keep it at a constant temperature of about 23 degrees Celsius. The African dwarf hedgehog is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, which is hardly surprising given their dirt and ease of maintenance. Marmosets need to be sourced responsibly. If you are concerned about the welfare of a marmoset or wish to report cruelty, you can contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.
The RSPCA cannot directly move unwanted marmosets from pet marmosets. In Tuesday`s Queen`s Speech, the government`s plans to ban primates were announced. The Kept Animals Bill would make it illegal to keep or trade in primates, although the details of the law are still unknown. If the animal is a herbivore, the food supply may be abnormal, so it should be planned.