Monkey man wins battle

Mr James has spent a fortune on his exotic collection

A former zoo-keeper is to be reunited with 15 monkeys which were seized from his south Wales home by council officials.

Councillors in the Vale of Glamorgan have granted Rob James a licence under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act, three months after they were taken away.

But a specialist primate sanctuary which has been caring for them has vowed to fight the decision to allow the animals to go back to the house in Barry.

Mr James - who now runs a number of businesses from his home - had built up a collection of birds and marmosets over several years.

Last year, however, he decided he wanted some bigger primates - including tamarins, capuchins, and squirrel monkeys - which are covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act.

In June, the council raided his home and took away 29 animals - including 14 marmosets which were not covered by the legislation, and which were later returned.

The council paid £1,500 a week of tax-payers' money to house the remaining 15 monkeys in specialist accommodation at the Cefn y Erw Primate Sanctuary in the Swansea Valley.

Rob James has had monkeys since childhood

The sanctuary claims the animals would be better cared for there, and has promised to appeal against the decision to return the animals.

Mr James - who spent £50,000 building new cages - is just glad the council has decided to give his pets back.

"I just feel relief," he said. "This has been with us for the past three months, and it has cost my family a great deal of stress and money."

He has been supported in his battle by the National Association of Private Animal Keepers.

The association's Chris Newman said his organisation had serious concerns about the way the local authority had handled the situation.

"Their handling of this has been very, very poor," Mr Newman said.

"They have been obstructive right from the beginning, and the money they have spent needlessly on housing the monkeys elsewhere is outrageous."

But the council has defended its actions.Councillor John James said it had done what the law required.

"If there was an incident and we had not enforced the licence regulations, the council would have been in big trouble for that," he said.

"I don't think the cost side of it was a consideration."

Mr James now faces another battle - as he does not have planning permission for the cages he has built.