Pet Monkeys in India? Here's Why It's Not Allowed!
Tanisha Kumari | Nov 14, 2025, 15:44 IST
Monkeys as a pet
( Image credit : Freepik )
Here it educates readers about the illegality and dangers of keeping monkeys as pets in India. It highlights the legal framework under the Wildlife Protection Act, the emotional and physical harm caused to monkeys, the health risks to humans and the ethical responsibility to protect wild animals.
People love watching monkeys in movies or at feeding at temples. They look smart funny and always full of energy. Some even wish to keep the as a pet but in India keeping a monkey at home is not legally allowed. It may look harmless but owning a monkey brings big trouble for both the animal and the owner.
Monkeys are not like cats or dogs so they do not do well in small spaces. They are wild animals who need space and natural groups to live happily. Taking a monkey home is taking them away from their family which harms their health and mind.
Legality Under the Wildlife Protection Act
In India, monkeys are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. This law states that buying, selling or keeping any wild animal including monkeys is illegal. Indian government made this rule to protect wildlife from being hurt or taken away from forests.
The punishment for owning a monkey includes a heavy fine or even jail time. Officials also take the monkey away and send it to a rescue centers. People who are unaware about this law get fooled by the illegal sellers online or at markets.
Monkeys Should Not be Kept as Pets
Monkeys are not pets. they are wild, social animals who need their own kind of creatures to live with. Life in a cage or small space makes them sad and angry. When forced to live like this they act out either refusing to eat or show strange behaviour.
Unlike dogs or cats, monkeys cannot be trained easily. They scratch, bite or attack when scared. Even a small monkey does more harm when frightened.
Hunters take the baby monkeys away from the mother by hurting her to sell them for profit. By buying these animals the people are supporting this illegal and painful trade.
Health Risks of Keeping Pet Monkeys
Monkeys carry diseases that humans catch easily. Some of these diseases are very serious causing fever, infections or even long-lasting illnesses. Some diseases like that are Herpes B Virus, Ebola or Monkeypox. Since monkeys spread germs through bites, scratches or touching, they are unsafe to keep at home.
Vets also have a hard time treating monkeys because there are no proper medical setups for them like other pet animals.
Children are at risk too when living near monkeys as they may try to play with them and end up being bitten or scratched. This makes monkeys a health risk for both humans and other pets.
Ethical and Welfare Concerns
Monkeys have high intelligence and emotions. they miss their mothers, feel fear and get depressed when they are alone. Caging them or tying them with chains will hurt them as they are only made to live and play in open forests filled with trees.
Ethically it is our duty to protect wild animals by not keeping them as pets. Monkeys belong in the forests and not in cages.
Monkeys are beautiful and clever animals but they are not pets to be confined to our homes. They deserve to live freely in their own habitat. Instead of trying to own a pet monkey by illegal means, we should protect them danger.
Celebrate the bond with your pets, explore Health & Nutrition, discover Breeds, master Training Tips, Behavior Decoder, and set out on exciting Travel Tails with Times Pets!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Monkeys are not like cats or dogs so they do not do well in small spaces. They are wild animals who need space and natural groups to live happily. Taking a monkey home is taking them away from their family which harms their health and mind.
Legality Under the Wildlife Protection Act
Baby Monkey
( Image credit : Freepik )
The punishment for owning a monkey includes a heavy fine or even jail time. Officials also take the monkey away and send it to a rescue centers. People who are unaware about this law get fooled by the illegal sellers online or at markets.
Monkeys Should Not be Kept as Pets
Unlike dogs or cats, monkeys cannot be trained easily. They scratch, bite or attack when scared. Even a small monkey does more harm when frightened.
Hunters take the baby monkeys away from the mother by hurting her to sell them for profit. By buying these animals the people are supporting this illegal and painful trade.
Health Risks of Keeping Pet Monkeys
Health risks
( Image credit : Freepik )
Monkeys carry diseases that humans catch easily. Some of these diseases are very serious causing fever, infections or even long-lasting illnesses. Some diseases like that are Herpes B Virus, Ebola or Monkeypox. Since monkeys spread germs through bites, scratches or touching, they are unsafe to keep at home.
Vets also have a hard time treating monkeys because there are no proper medical setups for them like other pet animals.
Children are at risk too when living near monkeys as they may try to play with them and end up being bitten or scratched. This makes monkeys a health risk for both humans and other pets.
Ethical and Welfare Concerns
Ethically it is our duty to protect wild animals by not keeping them as pets. Monkeys belong in the forests and not in cages.
Monkeys are beautiful and clever animals but they are not pets to be confined to our homes. They deserve to live freely in their own habitat. Instead of trying to own a pet monkey by illegal means, we should protect them danger.
Celebrate the bond with your pets, explore Health & Nutrition, discover Breeds, master Training Tips, Behavior Decoder, and set out on exciting Travel Tails with Times Pets!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Do you need a license to keep monkeys?Monkeys are not allowed to be kept as pet so a license is needed in special cases.
- Can monkeys be potty trained?Monkeys cannot be potty trained like other domestic pets like dogs and cats.
- What pets are legal in India?Common pets like cats, dogs, fish and birds are generally legal in India while owning exotic animals is heavily regulated.