Guilty but she wants to keep protected animals

After forming a bond with two monkeys and a parrot, which she had as pets for years, a housewife who pleaded guilty before a magistrate for having the protected animals has petitioned the court to keep them by proving their domestication.

Sharon Ramsawak, 39, of Buenos Ayres, Erin was arrested and charged on Saturday after the animals were found at her home. On Monday, she was taken before Siparia Magistrate Ava Vandenberg- Bailey. The animals were also brought to court as exhibits.

The charges read to Ramsawak were that on Saturday at her home she had in her unlawful possession, a capuchin monkey, a squirrel monkey, and a blue and gold macaw.

She pleaded guilty. The animals are protected under the Conservation of Wild Life Act. Police executed a search warrant at Ramsawak’s home and the officer who from Siparia CID, later contacted the Forestry Division where a team of game wardens led by Game Warden II, Andy Singh, and Jeremy Dindial went to the house and seized the animals.

The matter was heard in the Siparia Magistrates Second Court and through her attorney, Ramsawak filed an application to prove domestication of the animals. The application would prove the monkeys and parrot could be domesticated. The attorney said the woman had the animals for years and developed a bond with them and wanted to keep them.

The magistrate will hear the application on April 17, where she will also pass sentence as Ramsawak pleaded guilty. If it can be proven that the animals could be domesticated, Ramsawak would be allowed to go home with the animals. If not, the monkeys and macaw would be placed in the care of the Emperor Valley Zoo. An order was also made for the animals to be cared for at the zoo until the date of the hearing. Ramsawak is out on $10,000.