A common marmoset monkey has been rescued from a property in South London after it was discovered living in a bird cage, according to Greenwich Council. The animal was found in the borough of Greenwich following a report from a concerned resident about poor welfare conditions.
Greenwich Council, working with the City of London Corporation—which provides regulatory animal health services for many London boroughs and councils across England—investigated the report and retrieved the animal. Officers from both authorities visited the suspected property and found the marmoset in an unsuitable environment: a bird cage. The monkey was also not being fed an appropriate diet and was living alone.
Rescue operation and legal requirements
Marmosets are social animals that typically live in groups of eight to ten in the wild, and they must never be kept in isolation by human owners, the council stated. The monkey’s owner did not hold a licence to keep it, which is a legal requirement under the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Failing to obtain the necessary licence or not properly caring for primates may result in a criminal offence for pet owners.
A second visit to the property was conducted with officers from Greenwich Council and the City Corporation’s licensing and animal welfare teams, alongside the RSPCA and the Metropolitan Police. During this visit, the unlicensed primate keeper agreed to voluntarily give up the marmoset.
Transfer to specialist care
The monkey has since been transferred to a specialist facility to receive veterinary treatment. Following this, he will be moved to a new home in a wildlife park to live with other marmosets, the council confirmed. The unlicensed owner received a warning.
Greenwich Council encouraged residents who suspect a primate is being kept without a licence or who have other animal welfare concerns to email licensing@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.
