Update from Ministry of Environment, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 10:15 a.m.: "Early Sunday afternoon, COS and RCMP responded to a complaint of monkey at large in a rural neighbourhood just north of Qualicum Beach. Complainant reported seeing a 2.5' high monkey in his driveway which then ran off. Complainant's description of the animal and his demeanor was credible enough to warrant response to the site.
Officers searched the area and canvassed the neighbourhood to determine if any monkey was known to be possessed in the area. No animal was found and no information obtained.
Officers have followed up with the Permit and Authorization Service Bureau (PASB) and local vets to determine if anyone possesses a primate in the area. There is no record of anyone possessing a monkey in any nearby area or community. At this time, the report is considered unsubstantiated."
Original story:
Residents and a conservation officer were trying to track down a "vicious" monkey on the loose Monday in Meadowood.
"Yes folks, you have heard right," said the post on the Meadowood Store's Facebook page Monday morning. "There is a monkey running around Meadowood."
Dan Simpson lives on Settler Road. He had a visit from a conservation officer Sunday afternoon.
"He asked us if we owned a monkey," said Simpson. "Well, I thought that was kind of ridiculous but then he said there was one running down the road. He said it was grey, red-faced, three-feet-high and not to approach it because it can be vicious."
Simpson said he doesn't know of any neighbours who own a monkey, and since the neighbourhood is close to the Inland Highway, he had a theory.
"It could be as simple as someone pulling over to take a leak and it could have jumped out of his car."
Dashwood fire chief Nick Acciavatti hadn't heard about the wayward primate when The NEWS contacted him at the fire hall.
"I've seen a lot of things, but that's a first," said Acciavatti.
Police confirmed they received a call about a monkey running down the road in Meadowood.
"We attended (Sunday) and didn't find anything," said Oceanside RCMP Cpl. Jesse Foreman. "We called the conservation officer, who said there was no one licensed in that area to own a monkey."
The NEWS could not reach anyone in the Nanaimo office of the conservation officer on Monday afternoon and it was unclear at press time Monday evening if the monkey was apprehended.
The Meadowood-Dashwood area is a rural neighbourhood approximately 15 kilometres northeast of Qualicum Beach 170 kilometres north of Victoria.