A common marmoset monkey has been rescued from a property in south London after it was found living in a bird cage. The animal was discovered in the borough of Greenwich following a report to Greenwich Council from a concerned resident about the monkey’s poor welfare conditions.
Greenwich Council worked with the City of London Corporation, which provides regulatory animal health services for many London boroughs and councils across England, to investigate the report and retrieve the animal. Officers from both organisations visited the suspected property and found the marmoset living in a bird cage, an unsuitable environment for such an animal. The marmoset was also not being fed an appropriate diet and was living alone.
Social animals kept in unsuitable conditions
Marmosets are social animals that often live in groups of eight to ten in the wild. They must never be kept in isolation by human owners. The monkey’s owner did not have a licence to keep it. Anyone who owns an exotic animal must comply with the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Failing to hold the necessary licence or not looking after primates properly may result in a criminal offence for pet owners. A second visit to the property took place with officers from the council and the City Corporation’s licensing and animal welfare teams, alongside the RSPCA and the Metropolitan Police.
Monkey transferred to specialist facility
The unlicensed primate keeper agreed to voluntarily give up the marmoset. The monkey has now been transferred to a specialist facility to receive veterinary treatment. He will then be taken to a new home in a wildlife park to live with other marmosets.
The monkey’s unlicensed owner received a warning. Greenwich Council encouraged residents who suspect a primate is being kept without a licence or who have any other animal welfare concerns to email [email protected].
