RSPCA calls for ‘urgent’ monkey law clarity
Many monkey owners will be unable to keep their animals from 6 April 2026.
The RSPCA has urged the UK government to provide clarity on upcoming regulations on the keeping of pet monkeys.
The plea comes one year before new legislation comes into force, which is expected to significantly reduce the number of monkeys being kept as pets.
The Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2023 was signed into law in March 2024. It is due to come into force on 6 April 2026.
Under the new licensing scheme, keepers of monkeys will have to meet new welfare and licensing standards to keep their animal. Monkeys will need to be kept to zoo-level standards, with conditions enforced by local authorities.
Welfare experts state that these conditions are practically impossible within a home environment, with the law essentially banning the keeping of monkeys as pets. Existing owners will not be exempt from the strict criteria.
However the RSPCA fears that, without proper safeguarding, there will not be appropriate measures in place for pet monkeys legally unable to stay with their owners. The charity says this could lead to monkeys being ‘abandoned, dumped and turfed out onto the streets’.
The RSPCA says that there is a lack of data on pet monkeys, however estimates suggest approximately 5,000 monkeys are being kept as pets across the UK. It is calling for the UK government to produce a ‘roadmap’, describing how new regulations will be implemented.
David Bowles, head of public affairs at the RSPCA, said: "Sadly, our frontline officers have seen the impact of pet primates living in houses, being fed inappropriate diets and experiencing a poor and unacceptable quality of life.
"But with thousands of pet monkeys estimated to be being kept across England, we need clear direction now from the UK government about how these new regulations will be implemented, what provisions will be made for monkeys needing to leave inappropriate homes, and how local authorities will be supported to enforce the rules."
Ros Clubb, head of wildlife at the RSPCA, added: "There's a real risk that without a clear roadmap, monkeys could end up suffering illegally behind closed doors, or face being abandoned, dumped and turfed out onto the streets.”
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