Meet My Adopted Sister:The Dark Truth Behind The Coconut Industry

Did you see the picture of my sister? Isn’t she adorable? 😊

Just an FYI before anyone comes at me: she does not live chained, this was a one off because she needed to go to the vet... yes, she resists the vet.😂 

Her name is Shunno, and she loves my dad—dare I say, more than me and my siblings! 😂 In fact, she gets so jealous when anyone else takes his attention, that she’ll pull my little sister’s hair just to keep her away. She’s fiercely protective of my dad—so much so that she once beat up another monkey for daring to look at him!

As a fierce animal lover himself, my dad eventually felt guilty for keeping Shunno at home. He believed she deserved to be in the wild, where she truly belonged. So, he drove her to the mountains, hoping she would find other monkeys and live freely. But, as he started to leave, something incredible happened—she abandoned her new friends and jumped onto the roof of the car and came straight back home with him. It was clear: while she seemed happy in the wild, Shunno had chosen to be with my dad. Out of all us children he’s the most proud of her. 😅 Their loyalty and love for one another is truly heart-warming. 🥰

Now, she’s a local favourite in the town. But what’s important to remember here is that this was her choice. Animals should always have the freedom to make their own decisions. They are not here to work for us or be held captive for our pleasure.

I’m not entirely sure where Shunno came from. I suspect her mother was someone’s pet because she was actually gifted to my dad on his birthday by an acquaintance. I won’t dive into why gifting animals is a terrible idea, but in this case, I’m just grateful that things worked out.

I’m sharing this story to show you just how loving and loyal animals can be.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently started using coconut-based products. But after further research, I was horrified to discover the dark truth: monkeys are being used as labourers in Thailand! Honestly, it’s shocking that the world can be so cruel to animals—but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. We live in a world where profit often outweighs compassion and morality.

An undercover investigation by PETA revealed that monkeys in Thailand are being exploited to harvest coconuts. Trainers were caught on camera “dangling a screaming monkey by the neck and striking him with a tether.” In another instance, a monkey used for breeding was kept chained in the hot sun without water, and other young monkeys were confined to tiny, overcrowded cages.

These monkeys are stolen from their families, beaten during training, and chained for the sole purpose of harvesting coconuts. I’m beyond enraged. Call me naive, but how did anyone even come up with the idea of using animals as labourers? It’s so absurd, so inhumane. It reeks of corporate greed.

Please, make sure that any coconut-based products you purchase are NOT harvested in Thailand. If the label says "Product of Thailand," please DON’T BUY it.

Please, from the bottom of my heart, I beg you to sign the petition at the bottom the page here. You can also read an article by PETA and watch a heart-wrenching video here. Today it’s monkeys—tomorrow it could be another animal. Animals deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, not exploited for human gain. It is our moral duty to ensure they are not abused. 🙏