THE views of 55,000 people on whether primates should be kept as pets are today being handed to biodiversity minister Jim Knight after being collected at a Purbeck animal sanctuary.

Visitors to Monkey World, in Wool, signed documents kept at the park following the launch of a national consultation on the issue by Mr Knight, who is also the MP for South Dorset, in July.

Many primates who have been kept as pets are rescued by Monkey World each year and arrive at the park malnourished, crippled and psychotic.

In the two-month period more than 55,00 people put their name to the documents saying they wanted the trade - which involves all kinds of endangered species - to stop.

The consultation paper detailed the implementation of CITES - the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species - and set out plans to enforce tighter restrictions on keeping certain animals, including primates.

Monkey World's Jim and Alison Cronin are today presenting the signed documents to Mr Knight at the House of Commons and will be asking him what further action he will be taking.

At the launch of the consultation paper Mr Cronin said the keeping of animals in unsuitable conditions was a particular issue in Dorset.

He added: "There are primates in Dorset. We found Capuchin monkeys in Poole. Then they just disappeared when we went looking for them. Then they turned up in West Dorset.

"A week later they disappeared.

"We know Jim Knight's heart is in the right place. I know he wants to stop this trade in primates.

"We've got to tell him, we've got to show him that we want this thing to stop."

First published: October 25