Bieber given deadline to claim monkey

Capuchin monkey 'Mally' sits on the head of an employee in an animal shelter in Munich, Germany. Photo / AP

Canadian teen heart-throb Justin Bieber has four weeks to produce the necessary papers to pick up his pet monkey Mally from the German customs office, authorities say.

Mally, which was confiscated at Munich airport on Thursday because the 19-year-old pop sensation was unable to present the requisite forms for importing a live animal, is waiting in a holding pen, the customs office said.

"There are four weeks left to present the required documents and claim the animal," Munich customs office spokesman Martin Brandlhuber told AFP.

"If no one comes forward, (the monkey) will be released for placement."

Brandlhuber said that if the singer failed to turn in paperwork on the pet's origin and vaccinations, the authorities would have to take a decision on Mally's future based on the evidence at hand.

He declined to say whether Bieber had checked on his pet.

Customs officials handed the 14-week-old capuchin monkey over to an animal shelter where he has been held in quarantine while the singer completes a tour of Germany and Austria.

At first the creature was barely eating but was now in good spirits, animal shelter director Karl Keinz Joachim told the daily Bild.

The pet was reportedly a gift from Bieber's manager and accompanied him on a private jet to Munich.

Bieber has in recent weeks made the headlines for enraging many fans when he arrived late on stage, suffering a health scare and getting into a foul-mouthed confrontation with a photographer.

- AFP