The BVA has welcomed the launch of an eight week public consultation on the government’s manifesto commitment to ban keeping primates such as capuchins, lemurs and squirrel monkeys as pets.
Under the proposed plans, it would be an offence to keep a primate as a pet in England. Only those kept to zoo level standards would be permitted.
BVA Senior Vice President, Daniella Dos Santos said:
“For a long time, we have called for a ban on private individuals keeping primates as pets. As vets, we have significant concerns as to whether the health and welfare needs of primates can ever be met under these circumstances.
“Primates are long-lived, intelligent and socially complex animals whose needs are extraordinarily difficult to meet in captivity and we can think of no circumstances where a primate would benefit from being kept in this way.
“We welcome the Government’s move to open a public consultation on this and hope that it does indeed result in a ban. If the UK wants to maintain its reputation for some of the highest standards of animal welfare in the world and if the government wants to fulfil its promises of enhancing the welfare of animals as we leave Europe then we must put an end to the keeping and trade of primates as pets.”
