Baboons For sale at Loal Pet Shop!

there was a post already talking about the bad state of pet shops and the illegal animals imported into qatar

HAHAH I dont see how that makes me a Moron

I go as I came. In Peace!!

You Moron.

Bloubul. Thanks for letting us know.

We should alert PETA, but give it a week or two my arms are still tired from hugging all the trees. I love those trees

I go as I came. In Peace!!

You are right , this is wrong, Since we dont agree with what the region and the people do here we should all go back home since we volunteered and was not invited. loool

I go as I came. In Peace!!

I went there last week and the Baboons were gone.

Funny you should say that. My mother was having a similar rant about the RSPCA being bloody useless not so long ago when she was trying to get some horses rescued. There was, at one stage, a dead horse lying in a tiny mud field with loads of others who were at death's door. It took her nearly a year to get them out of there and have the woman banned from keeping animals.

I haven't actually done nearly enough! It's hard when these offices are only open during our work hours and we live so far out of town... otherwise I'd be camping outside! :)

The more of us that get involved, the more chance we have of getting this little creep closed down. Thanks for all your support on this. Please someone pop in there tonight!! I'd be sooo grateful just to know that the monkey had been removed!

In the meantime, if we can just keep this thread alive so that people are aware..

since James Cronin pass away I'

m not to sure that monkey world will still travel the word to rescue animal.

Typical of an organisation that spends money other people have donated. Basically, thank you for the enquiry, we won't actually do anything about it but here are some websites. Thank God for people like FranElizabeth who are prepared to actually DO something rather than earn a salary paid for by people who think their donation goes to the actual animals when in fact it is just paying an idiot to send out emails containing "useful websites".

If anyone is around in that area tonight, could you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just pop in to see if the monkey is still there? I was assured by CITES that they were dealing with it but have had nothing back as yet.

I had once emailed them about the animal situation in Qatar, as I couldn't think of any other international animal rights group at the time, and got this response...thought might be helpful to share it...

"Thank you for contacting PETA. We recommend that you contact animal advocacy groups in Qatar. For them, the problem is local, and they will be your best source of information about local laws and other relevant matters. To find animal rights groups in a particular area, consult http://www.WorldAnimalNet.org, a Web site that offers an extensive listing of organizations categorized by country. We also recommend contacting the World Society for the Protection of Animals (http://www.wspa-international.org) and the Humane Society International (http://www.hsus.org/about_us/humane_society_international_hsi/index.html); both organizations are dedicated to fighting animal abuse internationally.

Ultimately, great courage and strength will be required to fight against the injustice and cruelties currently practiced in Qatar. It is vital that local activists enlist as many influential people, as well as “people on the street,” as they can to support their cause by writing to the papers, talking to the media, and encouraging those in power to help effect change.

For more tips on activism, please also visit http://www.PETA.org/actioncenter. Thanks again for writing and for all you do to help animals!

-Christina Wheeless, PETA"

Hopefully they will go to the pet shop and confiscate the monkey. It will then probably end up at the zoo which isn't fantastic but it's better then being someone's pet.

Unfortunately enrolling a sanctuary in another country won't help you. They have no power to seize an animal, and even if they agree to take it once confiscated, it takes almost a year to get all the necessary paperwork, blood tests and permissions to move a primate. It's a joke that they can illegally smuggle them from one country to another but if you go down the official route it takes forever.

You also can't get an export permit for primates unless you can prove where they came from. 99% of the time, if you get an animal from a pet shop, it won't have the right papers to send it to another country. This also applies to all the birds that are bought too. As the CITES office knows QAWS well, we were able to get special dispensation to send her to a sanctuary but it's not something that can be done easily.

We have never filled out as much paperwork for anything before! Going to the UK meant that there was all the paperwork for quarantine as well as having to gain CITES permission and trying to get a custom built primate transporter sent over from the UK for her to travel in. They can't just go in a dog crate - they have to be metal primate travel crates!

Hopefully the little one will be moved before tomorrow - if it's not then we'll pay a visit to the CITES office to give them a little push :D

www.qaws.org

That is amazing news, well done you!!!

Had some (hopefully) excellent news this morning. The guy from CITES emailed back to say they would take 'immediate action'.! Will keep you posted!:)))

I can't believe this has happened before and he's still allowed to trade!

I will try to get there tonight. Can you make it in, too? What we really need is for the flipping shop to open so we can see if it's alright and to get a picture as evidence- as you say.

As I said before, the best way to draw attention is to go into the office and talk to them in person. Emailing and faxing are no good as they can be ignored - if you are there in person they HAVE to deal with you.

CITES have just moved offices so I don't have the phone numbers. Just go into the Ministry of Environment opposite City Centre and ask for the CITES office - I can't remember what floor they're on!!

The guys in the office are really nice, they will listen to you and they will take your complaint seriously. It may take a couple of people going in to get them to actually go to the pet shop but they do have the power to confiscate any animals they want.

Just remember to be nice! They probably don't know the baboon is there and it's not their fault it's being sold. Go in and make a genuine complaint, tell them you know it's illegal and you are worried about the health and welfare of the animal, and you are also worried about all the children poking their fingers through as they will get bitten. Tell them that the ladies at the rescue shelter will happily take the baboon temporarily whilst they find somewhere permanent for it to go to.

www.qaws.org

Chelsea, Unfortunatly the contact details listed on the CITES website for Qatar are dead...do you have the updated numbers/E-mails?

Did you ever have much joy dealing with CITES in Qatar or would you advice to go through 'head office' in Geneva?

First of all - please, please please please please DO NOT buy the baboon. As horrible as it is - do not give the pet shop owner any money for the monkey - give him hassle instead. Demand to see the paperwork - I guarentee you he doesn't have any - in which case it is illegal for him to sell them.

Don't bother calling the municipality/zoo etc as they never answer and they won't understand what you're talking about if they do!! The CITES office is in the Ministry of Environment building opposite City Centre. The more people that actually physically go in and complain the better. Take photos if you can, make some noise, the more the better.

We rescued a baby baboon from this pet shop about 4 years ago - we went in daily for nearly 6 weeks taking her fresh fruit and vegetables and in the end, he was so sick of us shouting and complaining that he gave us her for free when she started to look sick. When we put her into her custom built enclosure at QAWS, she couldn't climb, had no balance and didn't realise she was a monkey.

We had her at QAWS for just over a year and managed to arrange to get her to a sanctuary in Wales (curtesy of Emirates Airline).

Please remember they are not pets, cannot be tamed and will never be suitable to live anywhere other then the wild or a sanctuary. Baby baboons normally stay with their mums for a minimum of 18 months so this poor little soul doesn't know what's going on.

If we all make just one trip each a week to go and complain to CITES and making hassle at the pet shop, hopefully we can have this resolved. We at QAWS are more then happy to take in this poor primate and house him/her temporarily until it can be arranged to travel to a primate sanctuary. We will not give them money and we will not go away - someone will have to do something.

But I stress DO NOT PAY ANY MONEY TO THESE PET SHOPS. Please remember that even buying a kitten you feel sorry for will fund the illegal trafficking and sale of primates and other wild animals.

www.qaws.org

I called the Police and they laughed at me! They told me to phone Municipality in Doha.. I just had an Arabic speaking friend call them and they passed us onto to Dept for Animal Resources in Doha (by Airport) to fill in form of complaint. How long will it take them to do something with a form?!

Meanwhile, still no answer from the pet shop which begs the question of what all the animals do when the shop is shut for such long periods (they were all in there when I looked through the window yesterday.)

Jut- thanks for that info- just about to get onto Cites people now.

Oh, fran, thank you for trying. I can't imagine the hell that baboon will have in his life. He won't be small and cute for very long and when he gets to be a big, snappy adolescent the owners will lock him in a cage and forget about him. As Jane Goodall once said, "Adult male baboons are rarely charming."

Mandi

I had a wasted monkey mission. i hung around all day and the shop didn't open... do doubt he'll be open again tonight but I had to get back to Dukhan.

If anyone is in the area tonight, could you please please please go in and take a picture? How annoying!!!

if you get the chance, ask the keeper if there is any paperwork for the critter and ask the species.

Heading down there today. I'll get some pics and phone Cites.

On the Monkey World website, they have details of rescues they have done in UAE so not impossible at all.

You can't teach experience...

Here are the details for the CITES focal point in Qatar.

Take pics, send it to them and CC to another office for good measure.

Management Authority / Autoridad Administrativa / Organe de gestion

The Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural Reserves

P.O. Box 7634

DOHA

Tel: +974 443 71 71; 435 84 17

Fax: +974 420 78 39

Email: [email protected]

Scientific Authority / Autoridad Científica / Autorité scientifique

The Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural Reserves

Wildlife Protection Department

P.O. Box 7634

DOHA

Fax: +974 471 84 52

Enforcement Authority / Autoridad de observancia / Autorité de lutte contre la fraude

The Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural Reserves

P.O. Box 7634

DOHA

Tel: +974 443 71 71; 435 84 17

Fax: +974 420 78 39

Email: [email protected]

ahh yes, given that there are only 5 species of baboon, I'm pretty sure CITES is listing a few species that go under the common name of 'baboon' too, therefore I'm quite certain this animal is under CITES II protection.

In short, CITES II means that the species is not endangered at the moment, but could be if trade is not restricted and monitored. Having worked in an aquarium which imported the odd CITES II species, there is a ton of paperwork that needs to accompany each animal. If he doesn't have the paperwork it's pretty much illegal and CITES should be informed, with whatever evidence you have.

If he has the paperwork, there isn't much you can do...As far as I know Qatar doesn't ban the trading of primates:(

disgusting to see this:( I've checked the CITES database, and they have 8 species of baboon listed, all of which are CITES II. It may be worth taking a pic of the critter and sending it to them.

http://www.cites.org/eng/contact.shtml

I'll also PM a couple of animal lovers I know and draw there attention to this thread.

Finally, please noone buy this animal, even in pity. You will just show the shop owner there is a demand for this kind of thing and encourage him to import more. As cruel as it sounds, it's better this one dies in a pet shop, than get's "rescued" by a well meaning member of the public (besides I doubt you want a fully grown baboon running around with the kids at home...all those teeth...eep!)

Where are you? All these people so concerned and nothing done in a whole day! I had an operation yesterday and I live an hour out of Doha. What's with the 'what a shame' attitude? I'm assuming there are people who have posted on here who freaking LIVE in Doha..bless you and your busy lives.

At least you took the time to write a little note about your day. Is anyone else still on this or is it yesterday's news now?

I'm def going down there tomorrow and I'll see if K wants to come with.. we'll be like Starsky and Hutch!

Thanks

let me know if I can help, not going to Doha this weekend, still busy moving house. There is someone else here who wants to help, I'll pm you

No answer at Monkey World either! Argh! I have emailed them.

I have tried both.. will try ot get the number for Monkey World, too. Noone answering (Friday). Have to go back to Doha Clinic tomorrow so I'll go in and take a picture then- unless anyone else is in the area and can go today?

Also try Public Health or HMC, if you said you were concerned that children may get bitten by a wild monkey when in the pet shop they may act. They went mad enough when I got bitten by my own cat!

What about trying Monkey World in Dorset, UK? They are the sanctuary in the TV show Monkey Business (also I used to live nearby). They travel all over the world, not only rescuing monkeys from pet shops but using their considerable influence to make sure that laws regarding the transit of wild animals are not broken. Could someone go in and take a photo? That would carry more weight legally.

I called Doha Police, Municipality (no answer) and Doha Zoo (4435696).. they're also not answering. Police did not know if it was illegal or not!! I think they thought I was taking the mick..

I'll try again later.. in the meantime if others can keep trying the numbers that'd be great. I don't think us clubbing together to buy him will do any good as they will then just go and get more. He needs shutting down and then castrating (with a blunt spoon).

Is it actually illegalhere? That sounds like such a dumb question.. but I was amazed they had tortoises here as I'm pretty sure that's illegal in UK now.

I will give Doha Zoo a call, Tallg and my local police station to see if they know the score.

Fran - no harm in reporting it again even if someone has done so already. The more people can do to try and stop this the better.

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I just posted about this as I was so disgusted and fretting!There was only one there today..I daren't think where the other one is. Has this definitely been reported to someone? Otherwise, I'll do it tomorrow? How do they get them through Customs?

That arsehole needs shutting down! He wanted to give him to me 'on trial' for 4000 reals.

have no authority to walk into a pet shop and remove animals we deem to be unfit for sale, hell, any animals in pet shops are not fit for sale according to us and this is why we don't advocate visiting them. I understand your motivation Bloubul, and I would do the same thing - searching petshops for lost and stolen dogs, is always your first option...

Returning to the Baboon issue, there is a CITES office in Doha, it is near Hyatt Plaza intersection - but again, going there does very little - someone will tip off the petshops about an inspection, and when the raid is done, there will be no sign of dogs and cats, let alone baboons!

We are increasingly frustrated with the abandonment of animals laws in this county - but then again, any law in this country seems to be made to be broken, so I doubt animals laws would be strictly adhered to, even if they were in place... just take a look at the dogfighting law - ratified, but the massacres continue...

"if you don't like the heat... get out of the kitchen... but stop trying to fan the flames before you leave... it will burn you on the a** as you go through the doorway...." ME

visit www.qaws.org

This man needs to be investigated, I just hope that the people I invormed does something.

Nou die Blou.

Unfortunately these things have been going on for years. There doesn't seem to be much willingness from the authorities to do anything definitive about it.

As an fellow SA and Blue Bull supporter!!!!!, I fully agree that these animals belong in the wild and not even in a Zoo, this pet shop owner needs to be investigated.

Cheetahs are protected by International Law CITES to which Qatar is a signatory.

CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea of species covered by the Convention has to be authorized through a licensing system. Each Party to the Convention must designate one or more Management Authorities in charge of administering that licensing system and one or more Scientific Authorities to advise them on the effects of trade on the status of the species.

Hopefully, by reporting this violation to the authorities they will take action to protect Qatar's good name.

Signature line > "You can't fix stupid"

and the lady there told me that this is increasing daily. The animals - Cheetahs included normally come from Saudi.

She gave me the number of the Zoo, but there is no answer.

I will keep trying untill I get someone to assist.

Thank you guys for making people more aware of the issue.

The Zoo has contacts within the Ministry, they can simply go in and take the animals. They've done it many times before. In fact many of the animals in the zoo are the result of this.

i would pay towards getting them out of there if the zoo could take them. Maybe if the ministry was alerted from a health point of view they would act. Surely being bitten by a wild primate is dangerous to humans and they are strict about rabies here as anyone who has had to go to hamad with dog and cat bites will know! I had to report to the tb hospital after being bitten!

The Baboons are for sale !

What can Qaws and the Zoo do ?

good idea, the zoo will have a vet who can help them. Poor little things, is it true that poachers usually kill the mother to get the babies?

Someone should call QAWS and the Doha zoo as well. They're capable of caring for these animals.

Please report it and also tell the vet clinics. The authorities have recently inspected the vet clinics but it would be good if they could do the same to the pet shops. Brave you for going there and thank you for publicising it. Yes, it is true, baby cheetahs are all the rage at the moment. And lastly, I hope you find your dog soon, how awful for you. JJ

And the rest. You get all sorts of animals cropping up in the pets shops. That's why you should never buy stuff from the pet shops, because it's supporting the trade of these sort of animals.

Can you report it to the authorities? Are baboon protected under the UN CITES agreement? I know in the UAE the authorities often confiscate wild animals at the various international airports, but many more seem to be able to get through "unnoticed - officially"

Signature line > "You can't fix stupid"

Seems very strange.. Surely there is a law against import of such animals ..