Vets welcome Government steps to ban primates 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.”