Justin Bieber Monkey Midnight Deadline Is Tonight, Ordered To Pay Thousands

Justin Bieber has been ordered by German authorities to pay the bill for his pet monkey’s two month stay at a Munich animal shelter.

A spokesman for Munich’s customs office says the total cost of the monkey’s food, veterinary care, and accommodation for the capuchin — known as Mally — comes to several thousand euros (dollars).

Customs spokesman Thomas Meister says Bieber has until midnight Friday to claim the monkey.

The, then, 14-week-old monkey was seized by customs authorities on March 28 when the teen singer failed to produce a health certificate and other necessary papers after arriving at Munich airport ahead of a Believe tour concert.

The Munich Animal Protection League shelter says Bieber’s management team has asked that the now 20-week-old monkey be placed in a zoo.

Customs officials say they have yet to receive a formal request from Bieber or his representatives to authorize such as placement.

Despite animal welfare groups’ criticism of Bieber for taking possession of the capuchin and traveling with it without documentation, one group has praised the singer’s apparent decision not to reclaim the monkey.

Previously, a representative for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) told W.E.N.N:

“PETA is thankful Justin Bieber heeded our advice and surrendered Mally to the experienced caregivers at the Munich animal shelter.”

The group added:

“And we have recommended a permanent move to the The Monkey Sanctuary in the UK, where Mally will be integrated with other monkeys and receive the social interaction vital to a monkey’s well-being and psychological growth.”

However, when the midnight deadline arrives it is likely the whereabouts of the monkey will not be made public.

Earlier this week, Franz Boehmer, from the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation told Reuters:

“I’m afraid we can’t reveal details on where Mally will be taken, as we are worried about the hype surrounding the monkey. We want to calmly integrate the animal into a group of its own species.”

Bieber was given the monkey for his 19th birthday in early March. However, by midnight tonight it seems likely this is one gift he won’t be keeping.

[Image via Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com]