A female common marmoset was discovered abandoned in a locked cage on a London bus on Friday, July 17, 2026. The RSPCA is investigating the incident and fears it may be linked to new legislation requiring primate owners to obtain licenses.
Discovery on the 302 bus
A mother with a pram alerted the bus driver to a distressed chirping coming from a large laundry bag in the aisle. The driver found a terrified common marmoset cowering in a small white metal bird cage wrapped inside a plastic chequered laundry bag. The bus was traveling between Mill Hill Broadway Station and Kensal Rise, arriving at Kensal Rise at 11:45 am. The driver took the monkey back to the Metroline Bus Depot at Willesden Bus Station, where she was safely cared for. She has been affectionately nicknamed Oyster after the London travel card.
RSPCA investigation
RSPCA London Chief Inspector Clare Dew said: “She’d been left with some apple but was, understandably, very stressed and dehydrated. We’d like to say a big thank you to the bus driver and the team at Metroline who stayed calm, took the monkey back to their station, put her somewhere dark and cool, to keep her calm, and contacted us for help. They’ve been incredibly helpful and are now assisting with our enquiries so we can trace the person responsible for dumping her. No one noticed anything unusual on the bus before the monkey was discovered but we’ll be looking at CCTV and the logs for scanning on and off the bus to see if we can locate the person who left her onboard. It was clearly intentional.”
Link to new primate licensing laws
The abandonment is feared to be a consequence of new legislation introduced in April 2026 requiring all primates kept in England to be licensed. Exotic animals expert Evie Button said: “Primates are highly intelligent and social wild animals who need a lot of space, mental stimulation and appropriate companions – needs that can’t be met by human company alone. The introduction of primate licences in England is an important step forward for animal welfare, helping to ensure these animals are kept in more appropriate conditions, but there is a real concern that keepers who cannot or do not want to license their pet may now instead abandon them. With the UK Government estimating 5,000 primates being kept as pets in England and our friends at Born Free reporting very little uptake of the new licence system, we’re concerned about what has happened to many of these animals.”
Direct result of legislation
Chief Inspector Dew added: “This is clearly a direct result of the new legislation and is something we feared would happen. I’d be surprised if it’s the last primate we see being dumped. But what we would say to anyone who is struggling to care for a pet or who cannot get a licence for any primate they have, please speak to specialists, vets or charities, don’t abandon them as it can have tragic consequences.”
Oyster's health and new home
The marmoset was examined by a specialist exotics vet and given a clean bill of health, although she was not microchipped. Oyster is now settling into a specialist primate sanctuary where she will soon be introduced to a lone male marmoset in need of a companion. Chief Inspector Dew said: “In a twist of fate, a sanctuary had been working with us to find a suitable female marmoset to introduce to a lone male they were caring for. We were hoping to transfer one from the north of England but, when that fell through just a few hours before Oyster was rescued, it looked like destiny that Oyster was supposed to go there. She’s settled in really well over the weekend, and is eating well, so hopefully she’ll be able to meet her new friend soon. If she isn’t claimed then she’ll remain there with experienced keepers, a wonderful enclosure and company.”
Call to end primate pet trade
Evie Button added: “Ultimately we believe primates should not be kept as pets. We want to see a future where monkeys are no longer kept in homes, but protected in environments that truly meet their needs.”
