really disturbing monkey programme

[janeyo]

I just watched a programme about people in America (where else) who had monkey as babies, with clothes, make-up, toys, prams etc.

It was really disturbing esp as one of them was taken from it's monkey mother (from a monkey breeder) at only 10 days old to be sold to some idiots, who had 2 giant rotweiller type dogs too, who terrified the monkey every time they barked.

It beggars belief it really does.
Did anyone watch it? I feel a bit sick now.

So sad to see them being humanised and kept that way. One of them was fed sugar all the time, cakes, do-nuts, sweets, lollipops... One woman had loads and does children's birthday shows and makes her monkeys do tricks and parades them round for the children to gawp at.

[maytreefrannie]

I didn't see that programme but it sounds terrible. Even reading your post about it makes me feel sick.

Glad I missed it.

[kirsty b]

I saw it advertised, But didn't watch it for the reasons you described above. Just the trailer for the prog made me feel uneasy.

[sewer rat]

I watched this last week with the OH - have to say that whilst she had some sympathy for some of the couples involved, it made me feel pretty uncomfortable.

[di]

Having had my dear mate tell me how distressed she was watching it last week,I opted not to watch it!

[FionaH]

What side was it on?

[NOG]

Americans.....emm...what can you say.

[MaureenHall]

It was on my telly in the other room so I could hear it but not see it. Absolutely ridiculous, cruel, and pathetic!!! I hope nobody in this country does anything as stupid as that - though I bet there is

[ginger ninger]

I watched a bit of it, but with a roll model like MICHELE JACKSON, say no more...... God it makes you proud to be ENGLISH/SCOTISH/ WELSH/IRISH anything but ....AMERICN, SICK.

[FionaH]

To be fair not all Americans are into monkey baby substitutes

[growingkasbar]

Yeah, i saw the last 20 mins of it. It was a bit strange and i found myself questioning the sanity of the "monkey mothers". Its quite sad that people will go to that extent to mother something. Especially when there are kids out there in foster homes and childrens homes who need a family. But yep you can always rely on the americans to be.......erm......different?

[rana]

I watched a bit of it, but with a roll model like MICHELE JACKSON, say no more...... God it makes you proud to be ENGLISH/SCOTISH/ WELSH/IRISH anything but ....AMERICN, SICK.

I've known of plenty of Brits who treat their pets like children. Particularly upsetting is over-feeding, that leads to grotesquely obese cats and dogs.

[TEB]

I watched a bit of it, but with a roll model like MICHELE JACKSON, say no more...... God it makes you proud to be ENGLISH/SCOTISH/ WELSH/IRISH anything but ....AMERICN, SICK.

erm so why did the BBC, RSPCA and dog trusts pull out of showing crufts this year, is this practice any different, dogs bred so tiny that they cannot give natural birth, with heads that are to small for their brains, etc, not all breeders, just like not all Americans.

[Hilary B]

erm so why did the BBC, RSPCA and dog trusts pull out of showing crufts this year, is this practice any different, dogs bred so tiny that they cannot give natural birth, with heads that are to small for their brains, etc, not all breeders, just like not all Americans.

I know there are all sorts of things amiss with some of the 'breed standards' for show dogs etc, but that is on a whole different level to taking a baby monkey and trying to make it into a human baby.
Yes, some people do keep cats or dogs and treat them as a baby substitute, but NOT to the extent of having them from newborns, and rarely by 'dressing up' and such.
It's not that all Americans do such bizarre things, very far from it, but if there IS any weird (and morally dubious) fashion going, there will mostly be Americans leading the way (sometimes Japan or China start such things, usually in the 'we can do this' stakes).

[Donnalwat]

If any of you watch the Monkey Business series that follows the place in Dorset it shows the longterm damage that people do to the animals by treating them this way, serious psychological issues. They invest a lot of time and money trying to get them to behave like nature intended again.

The problem is that many people think they are cute when they are young but do not realise how strong willed and physically powerfull they get when they grow - take the example in America recently when the chimp who had lived with humans for 15 years suddenly attacked its owners friend then the police, I believe the friend died.

Sad