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lin
01-Dec-06, 20:56
When I was visiting a Thurso pet shop I saw a wee monkey in a very small cage. I thought this was very cruel, what do you think??

angela5
01-Dec-06, 20:58
When I was visiting a Thurso pet shop I saw a wee monkey in a very small cage. I thought this was very cruel, what do you think??

The poor monkey died lin.:(

lin
01-Dec-06, 21:15
That is sad news, how old was the monkey when it died?:~(

angela5
01-Dec-06, 21:17
That is sad news, how old was the monkey when it died?:~(

I'm not sure but i'd say a fair age it was in that cage for a very long time, i felt really sorry for it.:(

connieb19
01-Dec-06, 21:18
I'm sure it was in it's twenties, poor thing never had much of a life. :(

ellie-lou
01-Dec-06, 21:21
I Think When It Was Announced In The Local Paper That Lucy The Monkey Had Died It Said She Had Been There For 24yrs

unicorn
01-Dec-06, 21:57
Do you remember when they tried to get her into a sanctuary and the shop put a petition giving the option of a large run or put her to sleep, the poor animal got to stay and never did get the promised run. They built a tuck shop instead :(

angela5
01-Dec-06, 22:02
Do you remember when they tried to get her into a sanctuary and the shop put a petition giving the option of a large run or put her to sleep, the poor animal got to stay and never did get the promised run. They built a tuck shop instead :(

Aye i remember unicorn, pretty sad that the poor thing never had much of a life stuck in that cage with every kid poking it's fingers in at it.:(

Saxo01
01-Dec-06, 22:04
There's a monkey in the local petshop here as well, Its been there as long as i can remember it must be very old as well

unicorn
01-Dec-06, 22:06
It's a terribly sad and lonely life for them :( I hated going into the petshop because I couldn't bare to see her sad face :(

sam
01-Dec-06, 22:09
its a shame to keep them captive, although i believe this monkey never knew any different but that still doesnt make it right[disgust]

Liz
01-Dec-06, 23:20
I hate the death of any animal but have to say when Lucy the monkey died I was pleased as the poor wee soul was free at last.

I don't care about the reasons why she was taken into the pet shop she should have been moved to a sanctuary.

She was a prisoner and had committed no crime!!!!!:(

lin
02-Dec-06, 00:46
Its very sad that she died, but now she is free. Why were the owners allowed to keep the poor we thing in those cramped conditions. Its a wonder the R S P C A were not involved

pink
03-Dec-06, 00:30
Lucy the monkey lived for 29 years and is very sadly missed in the shop. Folk tried to get her moved a few years back but she had never known any different and would have come to harm if placed back in with other monkeys. She was well loved by bob and all his staff, well looked after and lived longer than most which goes to show how well she was looked after.
Back in the day of 1977 it was common for these animals to be kept as pets and why why why would you want to introduce a 20 + yr old monkey who knew no different back in with others and take her away from the only folk she knew. That would be cruel . I am glad she stayed she was part of my growing up and i miss her now she has gone. Her corner in the shop is empty now and that is what is sad.

unicorn
03-Dec-06, 00:34
It's the fact that she only had a corner in the shop that I found upsetting, at the time it was said she would have a new enclosure built so she could have space and exercise but that was an empty offer, she didn't get it.

pink
03-Dec-06, 00:44
but you only seen her during work hours.

unicorn
03-Dec-06, 00:49
Oh right, I do apologize I didn't realise that she had a different life at night, so did she have a separate enclosure then?

pink
03-Dec-06, 00:57
All im saying is she got excercised just fine. Did she look fat to you? Not to me .

sweetpea
03-Dec-06, 01:36
More fool her for letting her

porshiepoo
03-Dec-06, 12:31
I saw that monkey a couple of times and i must say it did put me off going there.
I have no problem with animals being kept in captivity if it is for their own good and if there is no medical reason that they should be put to sleep, but I do think that cage was a tad small. Not only that but monkeys are social creatures and while I accept that this one may not have integrated with other monkeys well was it even tried?
It has been known for primates to adapt well when introduced to other primates after an entire lifetime of being kept in cages.
I for one contacted Monkey World regarding this poor soul and they informed me that many many other people from the area had done exactly the same.
Unfortunately, Black capped capuchin monkeys are not under any protection and basically any old Joe Bloggs can own one.

The saving Grace was that this monkey lived to a ripe old age so was obviously in good health physically and i'm sure the owners loved it dearly and cared for it to the best of their ability and knowledge.
Like i said before my main gripe (beside the fact that it was solitary) was the size of the enclosure.
Pink may declare that it had further exercise at night but being the pessimistic person I am, I doubt it.
There were probably many concerns thrown up over the years to the owners and a simple sign at the side of the cage explaining the circumstances and the access to further exercise would have helped visitors tremendously. I could be wrong but I don't remember seeing anything.

On a sad note: My sympathies really do go out to the owners of the monkey, no matter what I know they must have been absolutely devastated to lose it. :(

Liz
03-Dec-06, 14:46
Pink it was not in dispute that Lucy was well cared for and I am sure yourself, Bob and the rest of the staff loved and cared for her and will miss her very much.

What was distressing was that an animal was kept incarcerated all of her life (albeit being 'exercised' at night?).
Would you like to spend your life in what would be the equivalent of a large bathroom ie re size? Even though people cared for you and provided for you surely you would not be happy?

With re to her going into a sanctuary the people at 'Monkey World' are experts and carefully rehabilitate monkeys which have lived solitary lives and have had great success in doing this. Yes they are still enclosed but the enclosures are huge and mimic their natural habitat as much as possible.

These animals should be given more protection and not sold as pets.:(

lin
03-Dec-06, 21:15
I agree Liz in that the monkey hardly had room to turn in that wee cage. The shop must have been opened eight hours a day. To stay contained in that small space must have been uncomfortable to say the least. Times have changed, and we are more aware now that this was no life for a monkey. I do feel sorry for the owners losing a loved pet is heartbreaking.

Fluff
03-Dec-06, 22:37
I agree Liz in that the monkey hardly had room to turn in that wee cage.

that is abit of an overstatement. yes it wasnt the biggest cage in the world but it could climb up and down and turn just fine!

wasnt like it was a battery hen or a battery pig, now they really CANT turn around due to the small amount of room!

Dreadnought
03-Dec-06, 23:11
People should organise boycotts of 'pet' shops that keep exotic animals.

angela5
04-Dec-06, 11:48
I agree Liz in that the monkey hardly had room to turn in that wee cage. The shop must have been opened eight hours a day.


Wasn't the monkey kept in that cage 24hrs a day or was it shifted somewhere else when the shop closed?:confused
The monkey never looked happy it had such a sad wee face.

lisagrace
19-Jul-16, 01:41
I am very late in posting a reply but just searched up Lucy as I loved her so much. I worked in millers pet shop from aged 14 - 18 (more than 15 years ago) and like many others often questioned Bob about Lucy's situation. As pink has said Bob bought her as a baby in the 70's when it was commonplace for people to buy wild animals as family pets and release them to the 'countryside' when it was no longer acceptable or they outgrew their cuteness. I never agreed that Lucy should be kept in captivity but unfortunately that is what she was born into and Bob accepted the commitment he had made despite constant criticism, he genuinely believed that she would not survive other monkeys. Lucy did not bring in customers or make a profit. I saw the most amazing photos of Lucy growing up at home sitting on the back of Bob's Alsatians and enjoying family life - no it's not what a monkey should be doing but you could tell she was happy (and you always knew when she wasn't!) It took me a while to understand her communication but she would tell you if there was someone in the shop she didn't like, she banged on the window for people she did - always Bob, no one stuck their finger in her cage or she would have serious words to say about it! Lucy had the best choice of food, fresh fruit every day, her pick of live insects and dead fish (which I had tipped over my head on several occasions followed by her infectious chirping or a squirt from the Ribena carton). When the shop was empty she would pull you to her so she could inspect your head (probably for escaped mealworms 😁) or touch hands. I used to take her outside when her cage was being cleaned and she loved to relax in the fresh air but still kept her eye on people passing by.
I was always sad she was in a cage instead of the Amazon but I know she was loved by many people. A sanctuary may of had benefits but it would of been like taking an elderly lady away from her family and the only life she knew