Ex-model 'not strange' for sharing bed with meerkat

Jodie Marsh cares for a variety of animals at Fripps Farm, including alpacas, emus and donkeys

A former model said sharing a bed with a baby meerkat and taking it to the pub was "not a strange thing" to do.

Jodie Marsh, 45, claimed her actions were "standard practice" in animal rehabilitation work.

It followed a council rejecting her licence application to keep eight ring-tailed lemurs at her rescue centre in Lindsell near Great Dunmow, Essex.

Uttlesford District Council said "it was not appropriate to grant the licence" during a licensing and environmental health committee on Monday.

The meeting was called after Ms Marsh applied to keep the lemurs under a dangerous wild animal licence.

However, concerns were raised by the panel about the applicant taking a baby meerkat she had been hand-rearing to a pub.

The former model says the ring-tailed lemurs "desperately" need rehoming

Speaking to BBC Essex, Ms Marsh said it was "part of me rehabbing her" at her Fripps Farm rescue centre, which she founded in 2020.

"If I put her down and left her even for five minutes she would scream at the top of her lungs," she said.

"Even when I went to the toilet I had to be holding her in my hand.

"It would've been crueller to leave her at home on her own than to just take her with me to have some dinner."

Ms Marsh said the lemurs' owner did not want them going to a zoo to be "gawped at", but stressed they "desperately need" rehoming.

Jodie Marsh says opening the sanctuary was her dream

During the council meeting, Richard Freeman, a councillor from the party Residents for Uttlesford, said the panel was concerned Ms Marsh saw the animals as "her personal pets".

The local authority also heard the applicant had previously taken an owl to the pub.

Ms Marsh said: "The council panel seem to be obsessed with me sleeping in bed with a meerkat.

"Many, many wildlife rehabbers and animal rehabbers do sleep in bed with their animals when they're orphaned."

The former model added she had started the process of appealing against the council's decision in the magistrates' courts.

A council spokesman said it rejected her licence application based "purely on the relevant information and the legislation".

“Given the applicant has a right to appeal the decision to the magistrates' courts, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further," he added.