(MY) Pet Monkeys

[Guest guest]

Bernama news media

 

KEEPING OF PRIMATES AS PETS: Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is disturbed to see

an increasing number of baby monkeys being sold in pet shops. Licences for

their keeping are issued by the Wildlife Department for both pig tailed and

long-tailed macaques on grounds that they are abundant everywhere. Has the

department ever considered that an infant monkey will eventually grow up and

become the wild animal it was meant to be?

 

Raising a monkey among humans does not change the wild nature of monkeys and

as they mature their natural inclinations are stifled by attempts to mold

them in to ‘obedient pets’. In accordance with their natural behavior, they

often bite and scratch. The end result is displacement following negligent

and abusive treatment both physically and mentally of the monkey by its

owners. Then again as far as the welfare of primates is concerned, permit

holders are never subjected to inspection for proper facilities and care

except when there is a complaint from the public.

 

As such many pet monkeys end up either in small cages or on short chain

which restrict movement. Monkeys need large open spaces with natural

settings to jump and hang around to keep them challenged and mentally

stimulated. It needs a large amount of social interaction and attention from

the owner apart from commitment of time for routine care. Failure to provide

all of these needs will result in severe behaviourial and psychological

problems for the captive monkeys. When problems arise, finding a new home

for a pet monkey will be extremely difficult and hard on the monkey which

has been bonded to its owner. Normally they will be given to zoos or

released in the wild which result in dire consequences for the released pet.

 

 

On the health aspects, infections such as dysentery, herpes virus,

hepatitis, scabies and even tuberculosis can be transmitted from primates to

humans. Similarly human carriers may also pass the salmonella bacteria to

monkeys directly or indirectly. The worst part of the trade is the taking of

the baby monkeys from the forest which is symptomatic of a largely

unregulated trade in pet primates – creating problems with everything from

smuggling to serious health risks to the public, let alone to the animals.

 

Traders may not be licensed and SAM doubts whether there is proper

monitoring of the trade in pet primates. Again separating the mothers from

their babies is an extremely cruel act as the mother mourns, screams and

will fight to the death for her infant. One can just question as to how the

traders get hold of the babies and this must not be taken lightly by the

department. SAM is strongly opposed to the keeping of a monkey or ape as a

pet.

 

It recommends that federal and state legislation prohibit private ownership

of non-human primate; future commerce in non-human primate for the pet

trade; and to strongly discourage the rearing of a monkey or ape as a pet.

Most owners lack the knowledge, devotion, and ambition necessary to prevent

disease transmission and maintain the health and welfare of the primate.

Therefore, veterinarians should diplomatically discourage the practice of

keeping a pet primate.

 

Currently, there is no regulation to effectively address this issue and the

exotic animal trade raises complex issues of animal welfare, public health,

and conservation. The use of a monkey or ape as a pet should be strongly

discouraged. Wild animals deserve to be in their natural habitats —

especially non-human primates, which come with numerous health and safety

risks.

 

 

S M Mohd Idris

 

President

 

Sahabat Alam Malaysia

 

Penang