October 14, 2007
Subject: primfocus: giving back to the monkeys

For five years, Amy Kerwin worked as a UW primate researcher. Now she's trying to create a sanctuary.

In the summer of 2004, the American Society of Primatology held its annual conference in Madison. At the time, I was working at the Harlow Primate Lab, one of two major primates laboratories at the UW-Madison that together house nearly 2,000 monkeys.

I put in a request to attend the conference. One of my bosses, the lab manager, asked if I planned to visit the animal rights counterconference that was going on at the same time. The question surprised me and sounded like an accusation. I said I hadn't planned to do so, but if I saw protesters who were peaceful, I would have no problem talking with them, since my salary was paid by taxpayers.

The lab manager's response: "What, are you going to turn into an animal rights person now?" I replied defensively, "No, of course not!"...

http://www.thedaily page.com/ isthmus/article. php?article= 10191