Boo Boo was living as a pet at the bottom of a family’s garden until she was rescued by The Monkey Sanctuary.

Her owners had contacted the Sanctuary when she began displaying worrying signs of stereotypical behaviour from being under-stimulated and living alone.

Boo Boo had initially been bought by the family from a breeder in the UK who sold her to them as a male capuchin. The family had no idea that she is female until the Sanctuary’s vets informed them when she was rescued many years later.

After purchasing her as a pet, the family began to be harassed by the breeder who demanded more money than they had originally paid, and then started to demand they return her. Although puzzled and disturbed by this, the family tried their hardest to ignore this harassment, changing their phone numbers and taking other safety precautions. In the pet trade, female monkeys are worth much more than males because they are used for breeding purposes.

Monkeys born into the pet trade are usually taken away from their mothers well before natural weaning, which has a huge effect on both the physical and psychological welfare of both mother and baby. Boo Boo was sold as a male, probably on accident of the breeder who, upon realising his mistake, tried to intimidate the family into paying more money or returning her.

Thankfully, she was rescued by Wild Futures and now lives at the Sanctuary surrounded by others of her kind. She settled in well at The Monkey Sanctuary upon her arrival, and has made many great friends.

Always on the move, Boo Boo is a very active and playful monkey, making her the ideal companion for more nervous characters. Her confidence and gentle nature can win over even the most anxious of monkeys!