FOUR PAWS UK is delighted that this legislation has continued to attract strong support during its journey through Parliament. A curtain is now being drawn on the abhorrent practice of keeping primates as pets.

 

FOUR PAWS UK has been working to ban primates as pets for almost a decade - so to see this Bill come to fruition demonstrates that the power of campaigning works. However, it is frustrating that a lack of political will to achieve this ban meant this important issue has only been addressed through Secondary Legislation, which does not sufficiently reflect the serious nature of animal welfare organisations concerns.  

 

Although the Bill also does not commit to an outright ban on the domestic ownership of primates, it will address the wholly impractical and cruel conditions in which these animals are kept in domestic set-ups and ensure that privately kept primates are afforded the highest possible welfare standards.  

 

With an estimated 5000 primates in private keeping across the UK, we hope that this new legislation will help put an end to the ludicrous notion that primates can be pets and ensure these sensitive and sentient creatures are afforded the greatest respect and empathy in the future.

Sonul Badiani-Hamment, Country Director, FOUR PAWS UK