The Animal Advice and Action Foundation for Animal Defense (Faada) has rescued Linito, a capuchin monkey who spent nearly 35 years living confined in a Barcelona apartment with his owner, who bought him more than three decades ago for 45,000 pesetas (about 270 euros).
According to Faada, the organization first learned of the animal’s situation in 2014 and began working to offer him a new life in a proper setting, surrounded by other members of his species.
During home visits, the foundation noted numerous and serious welfare irregularities. Linito lived alone in a cage measuring 2x1x1 meters, placed in the living room of the apartment, which was frequently dirty and with no outdoor area.
The owner acknowledged that Linito had not left the cage since 2014, effectively condemning him to an inability to run, jump, move freely, or socialize with other animals, all of which are essential for a social species.
His diet was also inadequate and very limited, and the lack of natural light contributed to a visibly deteriorated physical condition.
Over the years, Faada pursued the possibility of transferring custody of the animal, but the owner refused, prompting the foundation to file multiple complaints.
Yet, according to the foundation, neither the Barcelona City Council, nor the Catalonia government, nor the Environment Prosecutor in Barcelona intervened for more than a decade.
The change came in January of 2024, when the entry into force of the Law on the Protection of Rights and Welfare of Animals prompted Faada to file a new complaint emphasizing that the law prohibits primate ownership nationwide, which compelled authorities to act.
Ultimately, Linito’s custody was transferred this week to Fundació MONA, which specializes in rescued primates, where he will undergo an initial rehabilitation phase before being moved to another facility to socialize with conspecifics.
At the same time, a dog belonging to the same owner, which had never been taken outside, was seized.
“Today marks an important day and a meaningful victory, though we regret that the administration’s earlier inaction prevented this rescue earlier,” said Faada’s attorneyAnna Estarán.
“During the ten years of government inaction regarding Linito’s situation, his suffering continued and precious years were lost that could have been spent in dignified living conditions,” Estarán concluded.