DATE: Saturday, June 28, 1997               TAG: 9706280344

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: STAFF AND WIRE REPORT 

DATELINE: CINCINNATI                        LENGTH:   32 lines

PROCTER & GAMBLE FIRES LAB TARGETED BY PETA

Procter & Gamble Co. said Friday it fired a laboratory where, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has alleged, technicians mistreated monkeys.

Procter & Gamble began its investigation of technicians at Huntingdon Life Sciences after PETA, based in Norfolk, said an undercover investigator videotaped alleged animal abuses at the lab in East Millstone, N.J.

P&G said its investigation showed that Huntingdon had proper procedures and policies but lacked adequate supervision, spokeswoman Mindy Montgomery Patton said.

Huntingdon President Alan Staple defended his company. ``P&G and ourselves are concerned about the appearance of unprofessional behavior exhibited by one or two technicians,'' he said Thursday. ``But the allegation that numerous violations of the Animal Welfare Act had been documented is clearly not true.''

Citing alleged abuses by technicians from the tape, PETA filed a federal complaint alleging that Huntingdon repeatedly violated the federal Animal Welfare Act.

Last week, Huntingdon sued PETA, accusing the investigator, Michele Rokke, who worked at the lab for eight months, of lying about her background, illegally taping fellow employees and disseminating trade secrets.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture was investigating. MEMO: Staff writer John-Henry Doucette and The Associated Press

contributed to this report.

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