Actress, model and lawyer Peya Jannatul has condemned brands she claims are capitalising on the distress of an orphaned baby monkey for monetary gains.
The controversy follows a widely shared video from Ichikawa City Zoo, which shows a young macaque, abandoned by its mother at birth, clutching an orangutan plushie for comfort. The video quickly spread across social media, prompting an outpouring of sympathy from viewers moved by the primate’s sufferings.
While many responded with compassion, Peya expressed concern over what she described as opportunistic marketing. Taking to her verified Facebook profile, she wrote that although the footage depicted “a small creature just looking for a little affection”, she was troubled to see businesses referencing the monkey in branded posts and tying the emotional moment to their products.
Peya argued that repackaging such vulnerable moments for advertising reflects a troubling shift in online culture. According to her, attaching sentimental captions to commercial content in this way is “selfish”, adding that no living being’s suffering should be used to generate engagement or sales. “Even a baby animal’s suffering is now content,” she wrote.
Drawing a link to Ramadan, she reflected on how fasting encourages empathy by allowing people to experience hunger before iftar. She urged followers to think about animals that face deprivation every day without relief.
Concluding her message, Peya called for kindness and responsibility, encouraging people to show greater humanity during the holy month. She asked supporters, where possible, to provide food and care to animals in need.
