How to Visit Canada's Famous 'IKEA Monkey'

December 17, 2012 at 12:33 PM | by JetSetCD | Comments (0)

In case you didn't visit the internet last week, a tiny monkey in a tiny shearling coat showed up in the parking lot of a Toronto area IKEA. As it turns out, the monkey, a Rhesus Macaque, is named "Darwin" and lives as the pet of a real estate lawyer. Or did, since Darwin broke out of his cage and his owner's car and was eventually captured by Toronto Animal Services. That's only where his story begins.

Thanks to tweets and Instagrams from IKEA shoppers who spotted the monkey, the animal attained web stardom in record time. He was not returned to his owner (who was fined for owning an illegal animal), but sent directly to "monkey rehab" at Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary.

At Story Book, Darwin will join two other Macaques as well as a variety of primate friends for "peace and solace" and "freedom from fear" at the hands of humans. In other words, Darwin won't be forced to wear a mini coat, in a cage,in a cold, locked car in a parking lot. While the legal battles heat up, there is a way you can help Darwin at his new home.

Volunteers are welcomed at Story Book, as of course is donation money. If you live in or are visiting the Ontario province of Canada and have access to a car, you can sign up to get your hands dirty at the Farm on their website. There's training involved, so it's not a one-weekend thing, but caring for any animal never is.

Bonus! Story Book is also home to "Pockets," a monkey Warhol who creates colorful paintings, which then sell for $275 CAD.

[Photo: instagram/Buzzfeed]

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