British MP Reports Death of Pet Tarantula Kept in Parliament

A Conservative member of Parliament announced that his pet tarantula died after living for years on his desk in the Houses of Parliament and Ministry of Defence. The MP shared photographs of the spider on social media and described it as a "trusty companion." The tarantula had been with the MP since it was a hatchling.

Background on the tarantula The spider gained attention in 2016 after reports described its presence alongside the MP in Westminster. During that period the MP said the animal helped persuade colleagues to support government positions. The tarantula was later moved out of the Ministry of Defence after a colleague expressed discomfort with spiders. It spent its later years in Staffordshire.

Life span and context According to experts at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, male tarantulas typically live about 11 years. The spider reached that age before its death. Other animals have lived in or near government buildings, including cats that served as pest controllers in official offices.