Un-Caring Homes

In the Spring 2024 Ape Rescue Chronicle we announced a worrying loophole of the licensing act, the rule to allow exhibiting primates, and the upward trend of seeing them used in care homes. Sadly this has seen HUGE growth and we are getting several reports each month on care homes around the country who have been visited by squirrel monkeys to entertain their residents.

Many of our supporters expressed disbelief that squirrel monkeys sat on people’s shoulders as “therapy” is allowed in this country- and yet many companies are now targeting care homes in their advertising.

A copy of the letter we have written to these care homes is below. If you see care homes advertising this experience, please do highlight the issues that we raise.

Key points are:

• Monkeys are WILD animals. They are generally well armed with large canines, cannot be domesticated and do NOT enjoy being held or handled. This is not natural behaviour and is damaging.
• Handling is outlined as bad practise in the primate licensing act- so this should still apply on exhibited animals. These are the SAME animals with the SAME welfare requirements.
• Primates can exchange zoonotic diseases. Humans and monkeys can pass viruses, parasites and diseases to one another, including but not limited to e-coli, salmonella, herpes and worms. The residents of the care home are at risk from the monkeys as well as vice versa.

Shame on Malta

Since 2022, Alison has lobbied authorities in Malta with evidence of chimpanzees being kept illegally in the country. Maltese laws prohibit the private keeping of exotic animals and in 2016 there was an amnesty for all exotics to be registered –but in 2021 a report found there were NO repercussions for unregistered animals. Malta’s authorities are NOT enforcing CITES legislation and are allowing primates to be smuggled into Malta and kept illegally.

Alison contacted Malta CITES with evidence of the illegal chimps on 10^thNov 2022, 21^st Nov 2022, 2^nd  Aug 2023 and 28^th Feb 2024, yet only in March 2024 did we receive a response. It stated they knew of one chimpanzee, and arrangements were made for housing should the courts decide on confiscation. We were assured of the case being expedited for a “swift resolution” to prioritise the welfare of the primate. Yet, a YEAR later, nothing has happened!

To add insult to injury, CITES has announced sanctions on trade in Lebanon- a war-torn country, without government for over two years, now in a state of financial collapse. And yet there have been no such sanctions on Malta!?

These chimpanzees need our help and Malta’s wildlife smuggling trade must be stopped. Please help us by writing to CITES protesting the sanctions in Lebanon and demanding an inquiry into Malta’s unacceptable illegal smuggling of chimpanzees. We demand fairness and equity in this matter.

You can contact them here:

Ms Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General, CITES
 info@cites.org

Ms. Aimee Brincat, CITES Malta
Deputy Director – Environment and Resources
aimee.brincat@era.org.mt

Mr Joseph CARUANA – Permanent Secretary, Malta
Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning
joseph.f.caruana@gov.mt

Foreign & Commonwealth Office
fcdo.correspondence@fcdo.gov.uk

Stephen Montefort High Commissioner of Malta to the
maltahighcommission.london@gov.mt