DATE: Sunday, June 29, 1997                 TAG: 9706290095

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JOHN-HENRY DOUCETTE, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   66 lines

MANUFACTURER RESUMES TESTS AT LAB TARGETED BY PETA INQUIRY PROCTER & GAMBLE WILL COMPLETE STUDIES, PLANS NO NEW TESTS

A New Jersey research lab, recently the target of an undercover investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said Friday that it has been vindicated.

Not so, said the supposed vindicator, Procter & Gamble Co.

The Cincinnati-based industry giant has completed an investigation into Huntingdon Life Sciences Inc. of East Millstone, N.J.

The investigation followed charges made June 4 by Norfolk-based PETA that Huntingdon lab technicians were mistreating monkeys used to test a P&G product.

A statement released Friday by Huntingdon through a business news service reported that Procter & Gamble has found the lab ``in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and P&G's own standards for veterinary care.''

Huntingdon president Alan Staple said in the release: ``Procter & Gamble's decision to continue its important studies amounts to vindication for Huntingdon regarding the level of care we provide animals.''

That's not entirely accurate, Procter & Gamble spokeswoman Wendy Jacques said Saturday. The company will complete two ongoing projects there under strict P&G supervision. But it will launch no others for now.

``Our own review showed that Huntingdon had the proper procedures and policies in place but the staff lacked adequate supervision,'' she said. ``We did conclude that the behavior on the tape was insensitive and showed a lack of respect for the animals.''

Procter & Gamble began its investigation after viewing a videotape filmed by an undercover PETA operative who was employed at the lab. The tape showed technicians allegedly handling test monkeys roughly and shouting at animals and showed an incident in which a technician dropped a test bottle into an animal's mouth.

Staple told The Virginian-Pilot on Monday that technicians shown on the tape had been disciplined for unprofessional behavior. Previously, the lab's president had adamantly denied any wrongdoing by Huntingdon employees.

Jacques, in a telephone interview from her home in Cincinnati, where P&G is based, said the company's ``decision to complete the current tests at the lab is driven by the humane treatment of the animals. It seemed like the best choice was to complete these studies that have been under way, rather than start new ones later and have to use new animals.''

Beyond that, Procter & Gamble has suspended the possibility of new studies at Huntingdon, she said, ``until a point and time that we're confident that they can meet our standards.''

PETA has repeatedly stated that suspension of testing is unacceptable, and is urging Procter & Gamble to cease all testing using animals.

Such grand statements ended two weeks ago.

Huntingdon filed a civil suit against PETA and Michele Rokke, the undercover investigator who spent eight months as a Huntingdon employee.

The suit charges that PETA and Rokke conspired to steal ``trade secrets'' from the lab.

Huntingdon also won a temporary restraining order against PETA until a preliminary hearing in Norfolk federal court July 7. The gag order prevents PETA from discussing the case.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investigating a complaint against Huntingdon made by PETA.

Procter & Gamble's tests will soon be under way again - in fact the company has continued testing at other labs. Jacques said the company will keep a sharper watch on the labs it contracts.

``We are going to undertake an effort to develop sensitivity training for all of the testing labs P&G uses,'' said Jacques. ``We'll push for that training to become an industry standard.''

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