Earlier this month, we wrote about Justin Bieber’s 17-week-old capuchin monkey, Mally, who was quarantined by customs authorities in Munich after the pop singer failed to produce the correct papers for the animal while on tour. The Munich Animal Protection League shelter that cared for Mally was subsequently hounded by reporters and allowed the animal to participate in a devastating photo shoot (the fruit of which is above) in which the forlorn-looking pet placed her paw on an iPad displaying the cover of Justin Bieber’s Believe album. Three weeks later, we have an encouraging update on the apparently iPad-capable monkey who is stuck on the longest forced vacation ever while his owner tours Europe.
The Associated Press reports that the shelter has received two e-mails from what appears to be Justin Bieber’s camp. Per the A.P.’s conversation with Judith Brettmeister, spokeswoman for the Munich Animal Protection League shelter:
Then, in a second email seen by the AP, the shelter is thanked for its help and told: “Our team is looking into the idea of placing Mally at a zoo in Germany. Would you happen to have any recommendations for places that Mally would be safe and thrive?”
Unfortunately for Bieber, whose schedule is busy with the aforementioned tour and time-consuming Belieber-outreach efforts on Twitter, the singer will not be able to let his camp sort out the issue entirely. A customs spokesman told the A.P. that either Bieber or someone with his power of attorney has to contact the shelter directly. If Bieber has not produced the appropriate paperwork by May 17, Bieber “loses ownership of the animal and it becomes the property of the Federal Republic of Germany.”
May we suggest that if Bieber is otherwise occupied, he send his hologram to retrieve the quarantined pet?
All joking aside, we hope that this situation is resolved peacefully for Mally.