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http://www.whittierdailynews.com/Stories/ 
0,1413,207~12041~2944605,00.html
Ads pulled after claims of chimp abuse

By Robert Iafolla
Correspondent

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - HomeUSA Warehouse canceled a recent  
advertising campaign featuring a chimpanzee after the company learned  
that the animals are often beaten behind the scenes, the People for  
the Ethical Treatment of Animals said.

PETA informed the Pasadena- based furniture and mattress retailer of  
the abusive treatment, and the company promptly pulled its television  
ads, circulars and Web site promotions that featured a chimp in a  
HomeUSA T-shirt and a diaper, said Amy Rhodes, the supervisor for  
PETA's animals in entertainment program.

"Not only is [using chimpanzees] principally, fundamentally and  
ethically wrong, but it's also unwise,' Brett Stansbury, vice  
president of operations for HomeUSA Warehouse, said in a written  
statement.

Advertising companies do not abuse chimpanzees, but the trainers who  
prepare the animals do, Rhodes said.

"There is no way to get a chimpanzee to be obedient enough to perform  
on set in a timely fashion without dominating it, both physically and  
psychologically, beforehand,' said Doris Day Animal Foundation  
spokeswoman Liz Ross.

During a 14-month undercover investigation of a Malibu-based  
chimpanzee trainer, animal- rights advocate Sarah Baeckler said she  
witnessed abusive training techniques first-hand.

"I saw repeated punching, kicking and hitting with broom handles and  
metal pipes,' Baeckler said.

Other companies, including Honda Motor Co., have pulled advertising  
that featured orangutans and chimpanzees after learning of abusive  
training, Rhodes said.

"Often it's just a matter of educating companies and telling them  
what they see on the set is not the whole story,' Baeckler said.

However, Anhueser- Busch, 3M Co., CareerBuilder.com and Austin Telco  
Federal Credit Union continue to use commercials with great apes  
despite pressure from PETA, Rhodes said.

Robert Iafolla can be reached at (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2393, or by e- 
mail at svintern AT sgvn.com .