Justin Bieber’s Monkey Plans Will Make Bieber Sorry, Say Animal Rights Groups
The 21-year old pop sensation Justin Bieber is in the market for a new primate companion, but some people aren’t convinced he can handle it. According to Hollywood Life, some animal enthusiasts have a big problem with the “Love Yourself” singer trying again. Bieber’s first monkey joined the family back in 2013, but had to leave shortly after over European import/export laws and some missing papers in Germany.
Marcel the monkey was a gift to Bieber, given to him in 2013. Sadly, Justin and the monkey had to part ways shortly after meeting up. Vanity Fair reports that Justin explained to GQ magazine in February how he felt about Marcel the monkey. He said that once he had the monkey, he didn’t want his new pet to leave his side. The two were clearly fast friends. Bieber told fans that he wanted to keep his monkey by his side.
“Once I had the monkey, I just wanted to bring it everywhere. I was like ‘I’m not going anywhere with the monkey.”
Bieber was quick to make it clear that he tried everything he could, and really thought that he had been prepared, but complex international travel laws can fool even the best of us.
“I went to Germany and they were like, ‘You don’t have the papers.'”
Justin said that he was sure he “brought all the papers that I thought I needed” for the monkey, but they weren’t the right ones after all.
“So they took my monkey.”
Justin Bieber finally explains how his monkey got confiscated by the German authorities: https://t.co/AE5ARlFSoi pic.twitter.com/O9le5PhF5a
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) February 11, 2016
Bieber clearly gets along with monkeys, and advocates them as pet material. He said that he understood why “Michael Jackson would like monkeys,” and that he doesn’t think keeping a monkey as a pet should be a problem.
“I don’t see anything wrong with having a monkey. I might get another one.”
Too bad Justin and his monkey friend had to part so soon.
Now, it looks like Justin is looking to fill the Marcel-shaped hole in his heart with a new monkey friend. Fan or not, the young musician and actor is going to have to do some convincing if he wants everyone else on board with his newfound hobby. There are a lot of groups who don’t think anyone, even Justin, should have a monkey pet, not the least of which is the North American Primate Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is anything but supportive on the matter, and they aren’t monkeying around with Justin’s monkey business!
In an official statement, the Sanctuary warned Bieber that monkeys and humans don’t really mix. Not only did the primate-focused institution warn Justin about monkeys, but they also made it clear that he would be setting what they consider an “irresponsible” precedent. They said in a statement that if Justin gets a pet monkey, “[it] will prove dangerous to both you and your monkey, as well as irresponsible when it comes to public following.”
Not harsh enough? The statement continues, calling Biebs idea “foolish.”
“Please do not repeat this foolish endeavor.”
The institution also assured Bieber that his monkey friend wouldn’t be able to get up to any real monkey business in a private home, telling him that it is “simply not possible to fulfill the unique needs of your monkey within a private home.”
Justin’s offhand comment about getting a monkey has garnered a lot of attention to the list-topper, but there is no guarantee that Bieber actually even plans to do anything about it. Justin already has two adorable dogs to keep him company, and perhaps the unpleasant experience of having to leave Marcel in Germany hasn’t quite washed itself out of Biebs’ memory.
Fans are having a lot of fun with the news, too!
I wish I was Justin's pet monkey!! Damn that monkey is luckier than me…I wanna meet @justinbieber so bad sooo bad!
— moms (@JamirMoasu) January 27, 2016
[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]
