A YOUNG monkey was rescued from a bird cage after being found “stressed” and with an “addiction to marshmallows”.
SSPCA officers were called out after neighbours in East Lothian spotted a young marmoset in a large bird cage in a living room window in March.
The four-year-old monkey, named Steve, was found underweight and stressed out from constant handling.
The SSPCA inspectors took Steve into their care, and after six weeks, he made a full recovery.
He has since been transferred to a permanent home in a monkey sanctuary in England.
SSPCA shared the “harrowing” story as part of its Don’t Pet Me campaign, in collaboration with wildlife charities Born Free and OneKind, to raise awareness of the wild animal pet trade in Scotland.
The charity urged the Scottish Government to introduce a permitted list of animals that can be legally kept as pets as at present there are very few restrictions on what animals can be owned.
The campaign is accompanied by a petition calling for a permitted list of animals that can be kept as pets.
SSPCA director of strategic communications and partnership engagement, Gilly Mendes Ferreira, said many people are unaware of the “growing and worrying trend” of keeping wild animal keeping in Scotland.
She said: “Animals like Steve being bought and sold as novelty pets, often on impulse, with little understanding of the complex care they require.”
She added that although the animals may look cute they are “anything but easy” to look after.
“Marmosets are highly intelligent, social primates that need space, stimulation, and the companionship of their own kind,” she said.
“No domestic setting, no matter how well-meaning, can truly meet those needs. Thankfully Steve’s story has a happy ending but not every animal will be so lucky.”
The charities investigated online and pet shop sales, and commissioned research into the motivations and behaviours of those keeping wild animals, with the findings included in their Don’t Pet Me report.
Researchers found that over a 16-week period, creatures from more than 300 species were advertised for sale in Scotland.
The report highlights trade in wild animals as pets is international, with some transported by mail services and couriers, in inappropriate containers, sometimes without any indication a live animal is inside.
It found many first-time owners are younger people, born after 1980.
It is thought requests from children may persuade people to acquire such a pet, while it has also been linked to external influences like social media, films and games such as Pokemon and Minecraft.
OneKind’s director of policy Kirsty Jenkins said: “The research we commissioned painted a deeply worrying picture of how species commonly referred to as ‘exotic pets’ are thought of and treated – often as commodities or collections.
“Such sad stories emerged, of animals being kept in tiny boxes, poor diets, social isolation, forced handling, accidents and deaths.
“The law is currently failing to protect these animals – that must change.”
Born Free’s captivity research and policy manager, Chris Lewis, said the campaign highlights the distressing number and variety of wild animals for sale in Scotland and the lack of regulatory oversight.
“This should be a major cause for concern for the Scottish Government, legislators, animal-lovers and the public in general,” he said.
“Worryingly, the data and stories of individual animals included in the report may only be the tip of the iceberg. The existing legislation is inappropriate and outdated, it is unable to keep up with ever changing trends and demand for wild animals as pets.”
He added: “Most tragically though it is failing to protect the animals sadly caught up in this trade.
“Something needs to change. In the lead up to the next Scottish election, Born Free is calling on all political parties in Scotland to commit to comprehensive changes to the laws around the buying, selling and keeping of wild animals as pets.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to the highest standards of animal welfare and understand public health and conservation concerns around the keeping of exotic pets.
“We welcome the work of groups in dealing with the welfare problems caused by irresponsible owners and the campaign for raising awareness of this important issue.
“The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission has explored the issues surrounding the keeping of exotic pets and we will continue to consider the steps that could be taken in this area.”
