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APES CIC Shelter and Rescue
APES CIC Shelter and Rescue
A place for exotic homeless, abandoned and shelter pets.
Sponsorships Sponsor Our Primates

Help Hugo and Worm thrive and help us show why primates don’t belong in living rooms.

Hugo and Worm are common marmosets, tiny monkeys with big needs. They rely on specialist care, a warm indoor space, a safe outdoor enclosure, and enrichment that supports natural behaviors.

By sponsoring them, you’ll help fund their daily care, veterinary support, and the new enclosure we’re building as we move to our new premises.

Hugo's and Worm's History

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Hugo

Hugo was purchased for a mans son in his 20s. He was apparently brought over in his mums tummy and born in the UK, due to the mother disowning baby Hugo most probably due to stress of being stolen from the wild and exported to the UK. The keeper of the mother hand raised him until sold to the man and his son. 

His son kept him in the enclosure you see above and once he moved his pregnant girlfriend into the room Hugo changed becoming aggressive to females and urinating at the girlfriend from across the room in his cage. So they surrendered him to us after not being able to find anywhere else. 

Worm

Due to worms rescue we can not disclose much information apart from he was kept in a budgies/cockatiel cage no wider and taller then L: 1 ft x D:1 ft x H:4ft. 


There was bird poo and old bird food at the bottom. A member came across this animal being sold and very kindly paid them to take the animal. Then surrendered it to us to give him a better life.


And all we can divulge at this time is he has come from abusive keepers. He has been man handled and treated that badly that staff that have seen videos of his keeping brought us to tears. 


Worm is now in Quarantine for the next few months and 6 months of slow introduction to Hugo in the hopes we care pair them. 

Sponsor Today

Why common marmosets shouldn’t be pets (and why this matters in the UK)

Common marmosets are still kept and sold as pets in the UK—and that’s part of the problem. Welfare charities warn that marmosets are unsuitable pets because their needs are complex, they are highly social, and they require specialist environments and care.


“But is it legal?”

  • The RSPCA notes that owning a marmoset is technically legal in the UK, although the law is changing in England.

  • In England, new regulations introduce a licensing regime for anyone keeping a primate privately. Government guidance explains these rules apply from 6 April 2026, unless the primate is kept under a zoo or scientific procedures licence.

  • Some primates fall under Dangerous Wild Animals Act licensing, but welfare organisations highlight that marmosets are not listed as “dangerous wild animals” (unlike some other primates).


Why APES CIC will educate (without judgement)

Once we’re settled, we’ll be running education that helps people understand:

  • Why primates are our closest relatives on the evolutionary tree (and why that makes welfare even more important).

  • Why primates should not be pets in typical home environments.

  • If someone is determined to keep a primate, what “correct” care actually looks like (space, warmth, social needs, enrichment, diet, vet care)—and why that standard is difficult to meet.

What your sponsorship pays for

Your sponsorship directly supports Hugo and Worm’s welfare, including:

  • Specialist diet & supplements

  • Veterinary checks, diagnostics, and treatment (including preventative care)

  • Enrichment & behavioral welfare (foraging, climbing, problem-solving, natural behaviors)

  • Safe housing and materials (heat, humidity management, nesting areas, safe furnishings)

  • Ongoing upgrades as we build out their long-term habitat

If you’d like, you can sponsor in honor of someone and we’ll include a dedication.

Our next step: a purpose-built enclosure at our new premises

We’re planning our move to new premises near town that we will have just for us and not shared.

For Hugo and Worm, we’re building:

  • A secure outdoor enclosure (fresh air, natural light, climbing and exploration)

  • A connected warm indoor area (for temperature control, shelter, rest, vet observation)

Enclosure build wishlist (sponsor-funded):

  • Outdoor framework, mesh, and safety fixtures

  • Indoor heating and climate control

  • Branching, ropes, platforms, and nesting spaces

  • Vet-friendly access points and separation areas

  • Enrichment rotation supplies

Progress updates:We’ll share milestones as we fund and build.

Choose your sponsorship

Pick a level that works for you — every amount helps.

Monthly sponsorship (recommended)

  • £5.99 / month — “Daily Care” (food, enrichment basics)

  • £15.99 / month — “Health & Welfare” (vet support, supplements)

  • £50.00 / month — “Habitat Builder” (materials for enclosure build)

One-off donations

Prefer a single gift? Donate any amount to support care and housing.


Visit our donation page.


Optional sponsor thank-you (choose what fits your set-up):

  • Sponsor name on our website (with consent)

  • Digital certificate / welcome email

  • Updates on Hugo & Worm (quarterly)

Will my sponsorship go directly to Hugo and Worm?

Will my sponsorship go directly to Hugo and Worm?

We use primate sponsorship funds for their care and housing, including vet costs, enrichment, and enclosure build materials. If we ever need to redirect funds (e.g., urgent welfare needs), we’ll be transparent.
Are marmosets still allowed as pets in England?

Are marmosets still allowed as pets in England?

Rules are changing. The UK Government has introduced regulations creating a primate licensing regime in England, applying from 6 April 2026 for private keepers.
Why do primates need specialist housing?

Why do primates need specialist housing?

Primates have complex social, behavioural, and environmental needs that are hard to meet in a typical home setting—this is why welfare organisations advise they are unsuitable pets.
Can my business sponsor the enclosure build?

Can my business sponsor the enclosure build?

Yes — we welcome ethical corporate sponsorship. Contact us for options such as funding a specific build element (materials, indoor fit-out, enrichment packs).

​​Sponsor today

Help us give Hugo and Worm the specialist care and habitat they deserve, and help us educate others so fewer primates suffer in the pet trade.

Sponsor Hugo

Please sponsor Hugo and help with feeds cleaning, enclosure maintenance and much more. 


Get frequent updates on his progress and soon access to enclosure stream. 

Sponsor Worm

Please sponsor Hugo and help with feeds cleaning, enclosure maintenance and much more. 


Get frequent updates on his progress and soon access to enclosure stream.