ACF at odds with govt as ministry seeks transfer of rescued monkeys to Lahore Zoo

ACF Animal Rescue, Pakistan’s largest rescue service and animal shelter, has challenged the Ministry of Climate Change’s decision to take away the rescued monkeys under its care. 

According to a post shared by ACF on X (formerly Twitter), the monkeys that are to be taken away and transferred to Lahore Zoo were rescued when they were “about to die at the airport” while being smuggled abroad.

The organisation has been caring for the monkeys for the past five months, with the authorities concerned aware of the situation. However, ACF has now been informed that the monkeys were the “property of the federal government” and will be taken into custody.

“I have requested everyone possible to ensure they stay with us permanently or at least stay with us until they can go to a sanctuary abroad,” ACF said in a post.

ACF further argued that the monkeys were to be taken “immediately” because the authorities were “worried about their welfare”. However, the organisation has been caring for the monkeys for the past three months and added that if “we are that terrible [at doing the job], then they should have been taken into custody immediately”.

The monkeys that we rescued when they were about to die at the airport are now being taken from us to go to Lahore zoo ‼️💔

We have been taking care of the monkeys for 5 months. Every relevant authority knew that we had them since then. But only after we posted about them 3… pic.twitter.com/Bo64JQ6RGZ

— ACF Animal Rescue (@ACFAnimalRescue) May 22, 2025

According to the Ministry of Climate Change, experts, including representatives from WWF-Pakistan, visited ACF earlier in May and reportedly found no indoor facilities. In contrast, Lahore Zoo’s enclosures have been approved by the standards of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

“If ACF has since upgraded, a second expert review is needed. #AnimalWelfare remains our utmost priority!” the ministry said in a social media post.

In early May, experts, including @WWFPak, visited ACF—no indoor facility was available then. Lahore Zoo enclosures were approved per @waza, AZA & @IUCN standards. If ACF has since upgraded, a second expert review is needed.#AnimalWelfare remains our utmost priority! https://t.co/4kHDsrbSmN pic.twitter.com/QswAzxer5p

— Ministry of Climate Change, Pakistan (@ClimateChangePK) May 22, 2025

In response, ACF has argued that if animal welfare was indeed the ministry’s “top priority” then “it would be best to let the monkeys remain happy” as they were with the organisation. They further said that “a zoo is a cruel, archaic concept worldwide that should be banned”.

In another post, ACF requested the Ministry of Climate Change to “not see these monkeys as property of the federal government, but as sentient beings with ACF as their primary custodian”.

ACF has also maintained that they can “easily make adjustments to the enclosure” for the monkeys, arguing that a zoo cannot provide for them in the same way.

Monkey wipes away his Carer’s tears and tries everything to make him cheer up 💔

He doesn’t realise that his Carer, Yasir, is crying because Yasir knows the pain and terror these monkeys are about to feel when they are torn away from him and taken to the zoo 💔

We don’t… pic.twitter.com/nNlwC6hlah

— ACF Animal Rescue (@ACFAnimalRescue) May 23, 2025