49 Starving monkeys rescued
International Primate Rescue (IPR) rescued the animals while being assisted by police.
About 50 animals, including monkeys, tortoises and birds, were rescued by International Primate Rescue (IPR) at the Little Falls Garden Centre in Muldersdrift recently.
Muldersdrift police assisted the IPR in making sure the animals were handed over without any complications.
Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Hitler Ngwenya, said sector members received a complaint about alleged animals “not kept in a proper manner”.
“The animals were peacefully removed from the premises in terms of section 8 (1) of the Animal Protection Act 71 of 1962,” he said.
IPR on its Facebook page said that it embarked on its biggest rescue to date on Saturday, 23 April.
“We rescued 49 starving monkeys,” it said.
On Tuesday, another post read that the vet overseeing the animals’ care has advised IPR “that after virtual starvation over a long period of time, it would be a health risk to give them large meals, and in addition they are so accustomed to fighting for their food that it may cause aggression.”
According to the Roodepoort Northsider, NSPCA wildlife protection inspector Isabel Wentzel said they have visited the centre before and could not find any problem with the enclosures.
“We did, however, discuss a diet adjustment for the monkeys,” she said.
The paper also reported that Derek Fourie, the owner of the animals, explained that he had never received a warning or letter from the NSPCA to state that the animals were being mistreated or malnourished.
Ngwenya confirmed that there is a possibility of a case docket of cruelty towards animals being opened at a later stage.
“The officials were informed that a court order was granted to an official from IPR in order to seize the animals and take them to a place of safety,” he said.
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