Sources confirm that Cheshire Police arrested two men yesterday in connection with an incident at Chester Zoo that has ignited a firestorm over the adequacy of Britain's animal welfare legislation. The suspects, aged 24 and 31, are alleged to have scaled a barrier at the zoo's monkey enclosure and taunted the primates with food and a laser pointer. Zoo officials say the animals showed signs of distress, and one keeper reported a young gibbon became 'visibly agitated' before hiding.
The arrests come as leaked documents suggest the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is preparing a review of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which campaigners have long argued is toothless. The incident, captured on mobile phones and shared widely on social media, has prompted MPs to call for urgent reform. A Defra spokesperson declined to comment on the review but said, 'We take any abuse of animals extremely seriously.
' The case is a reminder that animal cruelty laws in this country remain a patchwork of loopholes, and the zoo's security protocols are now under scrutiny. Uncovered CCTV footage shows the men climbing a waist-high fence despite clear warning signs. 'They knew what they were doing,' a source told me.
'This was not a prank. It was calculated.' The pair have been released on bail pending further inquiries.
Animal welfare charities have seized on the event, with the RSPCA demanding custodial sentences for offenders. 'Until the law carries real consequences, we will see these incidents repeated,' a spokesman said. The Home Office confirms it is monitoring the case but has not yet decided whether to intervene.
For now, the two men await their fate, and the monkeys remain under observation.
