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Bieber’s Monkey Business
Canadian heartthrob
While Mally – a Capuchin monkey usually found in Central or South America – waits for the primate equivalent of his passport and visa, Bieber has until May 17 to pay thousands of pounds towards his upkeep – or to send a letter saying he no longer wants him.
It’s not looking good for Mally. Having been stuck in quarantine since German customs officers pulled him at a Munich airport March 28, he looks to be facing a longer stretch.
The Munich animal clinic where he’s being held indicates that Bieber’s management team in New York has contacted them, asking them to find a “safe and sheltered place, or a zoo” for the monkey.
“We have to discuss now the way forward with customs officials and other responsible departments,” a spokesperson for the clinic explained.
“So far, no papers for the monkey of Justin Bieber have been submitted,” said Franz Böhmer from the Bonn Federal Office for Nature Conservation. “If he submits a written disclaimer, we can accommodate Mally in a welfare family group in a zoo.”
Mally, who flew into Munich on Bieber’s private jet, was a 19th birthday present from music producer Jamal “Mally Mal” Rashid.
“Owning primates is probably a bad idea anyway,” wrote Jake Richardson on the Planetsave website.
“They are very social creatures and need to interact with each other for their well-being. Baby capuchins are often taken from their mothers and raised by humans. The disruption of their natural mother bond is stressful and can interfere with their ability to have awareness of their own identity,” he said.