December 20, 2012

Darwin's mom, clutching Darwin's Shearling coat, Yasmin Nakhuda, through her lawyer, made a plea today, December 20, 2012, in an Oshawa court for Darwin the 'IKEA monkey', to be able to come home for Christmas. (QMI Agency/STAN BEHAL)

TORONTO - An emotional Yasmin Nakhuda was in court Thursday as her lawyer, Theodore Charney, pushed for Dawrwin the Ikea monkey to be returned to her until it is legally determined who owns the young primate.

Charney argued that Darwin was given to Nakhuda as a gift and, therefore, is her property, and that the seven-month-old Japanese macaque monkey was in fine health under Nakhuda's care.

The lawyer told court that a doctor said Nakhuda and her 11-year-old son, Mikail, have been suffering with anxiety since Darwin was taken. He said the conditions the Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary has put in place for Nakhuda to see Darwin -- a search, a police escort and no physical contact with the animal -- are unreasonable.