Marmoset monkey abandoned in laundry bag on London 302 bus after new primate licensing law
A female marmoset was found inside a laundry bag by a driver on the route 302 bus at Kensal Rise, north-west London, on Friday morning, rescued by the RSPCA and named Oyster.
A marmoset monkey has been rescued by animal welfare officers after being abandoned inside a laundry bag on a bus in north-west London. The female primate was discovered when the bus arrived at Kensal Rise on Friday morning, the RSPCA said. A passenger with a buggy could not move past because the bag blocked the luggage bay; when the driver moved it, the monkey began chirping and jumping inside.
No-one noticed anything unusual on the bus before the monkey was discovered but we'll be looking at CCTV and logs for scanning on and off to see if we can locate the person who left her on board.
The charity fears this is the first of many similar abandonments after legislation introduced in April that requires all primates kept as pets in England to be licensed. The marmoset, trapped inside a small metal bird cage wrapped in a chequered plastic bag, was left with a piece of apple but was stressed and dehydrated. A vet gave her a clean bill of health and she has been transferred to a sanctuary where she will be introduced to a male companion.
It was clearly intentional. 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.
