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[gregory nahas <lettherebemonkeys AT yahoo.com>]

http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=87
House of Chimps Making Neighbors Unhappy 
Updated: Sunday, May. 4, 2003 - 6:07 AM EST. 

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - The University of
Louisiana-Lafayette has a real animal house, and the
neighbors are upset, not because of a fraternity, but
because chimpanzees are living there. 
It's part of a psychology experiment studying
relationships of primates and humans living together. 

The research is headed by Daniel Povinelli, director
of the university's Child Studies Center, which
focuses research on cognitive development, or
knowledge and perception. 

Wendell Bares and other neighbors said the apes are an
insult to the memory of the late Winn Hawkins and his
wife, the former Mabel Roy, whose will left use of the
house to the university. 

The current use of the home also violates terms of the
Hawkins' wills, neighbors said. 

"The neighbors do not feel that this type of activity
should be conducted in any residential neighborhood,"
said Bares, an attorney who lives directly across the
street. "It violates the specific restrictions under
which the university accepted the (home). And it's an
affront to the legacy of the Hawkinses." 

University President Ray Authement, in a long written
statement, said he agreed to let the home be used for
research involving chimpanzees and humans. 

An out-of-town family has agreed to work with three
young chimpanzees in the house for the next two weeks,
he said. 

"Opportunities like these in our home setting are too
valuable to pass up," Authement said. 

Research associate Conni Castille, at the home,
referred questions to the university's public
relations department. The chimpanzees are reportedly
kept in cages inside the home until they are let out
for study purposes. They are observed interacting with
humans in the home and performing activities, such as
eating at a table. 

Records show that that when the university accepted
accepting the house in 1988, it agreed to oppose any
change in its residential zoning classification. 

It also agreed to use the home only for a faculty club
or for faculty residential use _ not for classrooms or
housing for fraternities and sororities. 

The home can be used for other purposes, but only if
the heirs approve, records show. 

Dean of Student Affairs Raymond Blanco and his wife,
Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, lived in the house as
faculty members in the 1990s. 

The chimps are something else, said Jewel Lowe,
another neighbor. "I wouldn't consider them faculty
members. We're very disturbed about this." 

James Roy, Lowe's son and a descendant of the Roy
family, said the Hawkins family gave millions of
dollars to the university. By not honoring their
wishes for the use of the house, the university is
putting potential millions in donations from other
university supporters in jeopardy. 

"You can bet the other families will remember how they
treated their" last wishes, Roy said. 

(Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights
reserved.) 


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