Jodie Marsh granted primate licence

Former glamour model and animal sanctuary owner Jodie Marsh has secured a primate licence from Uttlesford District Council, allowing her to keep 12 marmosets at her Fripps Farm rescue centre in Lindsell, near Great Dunmow. The approval follows her high‑profile legal victory last year, when she successfully challenged the council’s refusal to grant her a wild animal licence for eight ring‑tailed lemurs.

Marsh said she was “elated” and “completely over the moon” after receiving confirmation that the licence will run from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2029. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she had been confident of success, adding that the new law means many owners will no longer be able to keep their primates, leaving “thousands needing homes.”

The licence has been issued under the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024, which introduce a statutory regime to ensure primates are kept only in environments that meet strict welfare standards. Marsh said the requirements are “higher than zoo standards” and warned that some small monkeys could be abandoned or euthanised if owners fail to meet the new criteria.

IoL primate licensing campaign: reminder for councils and the public

The Institute of Licensing is running a national awareness initiative — the #PrimateLicences campaign. The campaign provides guidance, FAQs, training, and media resources to help local authorities, enforcement teams and the public understand the new requirements.

Under the new rules, anyone keeping a non‑human primate in England must hold a valid licence by 6 April 2026, unless they already have a zoo licence or an ASPA licence. The IoL warns that failure to obtain a licence will constitute a criminal offence. The campaign emphasises the need for proper housing, enrichment, veterinary oversight and inspection — standards designed to prevent primates being kept in unsuitable domestic conditions.