Model who took meerkat to pub refused animal licence

Jodie Marsh opened Fripps Farm in 2020 and it is home to a variety of animals including alpacas, emus and donkeys

A former model who took a baby meerkat and owl to a pub has been refused a licence to keep lemurs.

Jodie Marsh, 45, founded Fripps Farm in Lindsell, Essex, in 2020, which looks after animals including alpacas, emus and reptiles.

She applied for a dangerous wild animal licence - which would allow her to keep eight ring-tailed lemurs - but Uttlesford District Council rejected the application at a licensing and environmental health committee on Monday.

A council spokesman said "it was not appropriate to grant the licence", however, Ms Marsh said she would look into appealing against the decision.

'Personal pets'

A meeting on Monday was told that Ms Marsh twice took a baby meerkat she was hand-rearing to a pub, after insisting it could not be left alone.

It also heard she had previously taken an owl to the pub.

Committee members also raised concerns about the application and said noise from the lemurs could impact the community.

Reading out its decision on the matter, councillor Richard Freeman, who chaired the licensing meeting, said: "The panel is concerned that Jodie Marsh has a perception, which she portrayed to the panel, that the animals in her existing care, and by extension the animals applied for under the licence, are her personal pets."

Jodie Marsh said she would likely appeal the decision

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, after the decision was made, Ms Marsh, said she was "disappointed" with the council and was preparing to take her application to court and appeal against the decision.

She said: "They are talking about stuff to do with animals that they don't even know about, this is a panel of people who probably might have had a pet dog or cat, but have never dealt with exotics.

"They are acting like these lemurs are coming out of a jungle into my garden, they are not, they are in someone's private garden right now and all he wants to do is rehome them."

A spokesman for Uttlesford District Council said the decision was based on "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."