Ikea monkey owner to go to court over its custody

TORONTO // The owner of a monkey who was found wandering in a Toronto Ikea car park last weekend is going to court to get him back.

Yasmin Nakhuda filed a motion with the Ontario Superior Court to have the Japanese macaque monkey named Darwin returned to her.

In a sworn affidavit, Nakhuda argues the tiny primate was illegally taken from her and moved to a primate sanctuary in Sunderland, Ontario, where he now lives. Her motion will be heard on December 20.

She said that Darwin considers her his mother and has been living with her family.

Last weekend, the monkey captured attention by letting himself out of a parked car and ambling around the Ikea car park dressed in a fitted shearling coat.

He was captured by animal control officers, who fined Nakhuda for breaking a prohibited-animal regulation.