On Wednesday April 20th at 2.30 pm Dr Alison Cronin, Director of Monkey World, joined by musician and activist, Peter Gabriel and South Dorset MP, Richard Drax, presented a petition of 110,764 signatures to Number 10, Downing Street calling for the Government to ensure that monkeys kept as pets, in a legal British pet trade, are guaranteed a standard of care that meets their physical and psychological needs. Such standards of care already exist in British zoos and wildlife parks (Please see attached Welfare for Wildlife petition statement and fact sheets).
Since 1987 Monkey World has rescued 100 primates from the British pet trade, 50 of the monkeys arriving in just the last 5 years. This uncontrolled trade in monkeys is increasing, and well-meaning members of the British public are being taken advantage of by unscrupulous breeders and dealers of pet trade monkeys.
Dr Cronin says “It has been a fantastic day. We have given our petition of more than 110,000 signatures to the government and now it’s time for parliament to review the laws governing the keeping of monkeys.”
Richard Drax will now be taking this matter up in parliament. And the 110,000 supporters wait in anticipation for the government to finally act.
