14Oct
Update from Primate Products, Inc.
By Thomas J. Rowell
In recent months, the media has been focused on two events surrounding Primate Products Inc. (PPI) operation in Southwest Florida, which were both initiated by animal activists. A recent article in Bloomberg Business Week does an excellent job in providing an overview (Bloomberg). More specifically, one event involved a Hendry County investigation into zoning issues as it relates to land use. The second event was an investigation by the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which was initiated as the result of an activist plant who was hired as an animal caretaker in September of 2014.
Hendry County initiated an investigation (Complaint No 14-0240) in March of 2015 of possible violations of the Land Development Codes at PPI and another primate facility located within the county. Specifically there were concerns regarding PPI using land inconsistent with current zoning. PPI responded to the complaint in April of 2015 (Response to complaint). In addition a site visit was performed by the County in May.
On August 19, 2015 the County officially finalized their investigation. They concluded, based on observations made at the site inspection and information obtained by regulatory authorities and others, that the activities occurring on the property occupied by PPI were in compliance with Hendry County’s land use regulations (PR - Hendry County Concludes Investigations).
Primate Products Inc. is appreciative of the work performed by Hendry County staff. We reiterate that there is no better place to find the knowledge of support agencies, mindset of workers, and community understanding of farming and livestock production and maintenance than in Hendry County Florida.
The investigation started by OLAW in June of 2015, which was initiated as the result of an activist plant hired as an animal caretaker, who spent 8 months on site covertly obtaining video and pictures of the operation, has recently come to an end (OLAW Report). OLAW, working with PPI’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and staff, were able to identify strengths and at the same time uncovered some weaknesses in the animal welfare program, which were corrected.
Over a period of several weeks, PPI and OLAW maintained an open dialog regarding PPI’s animal welfare program, which culminated into a joint site visit by OLAW and the USDA in August of 2015. As a result of the visit and the ongoing dialog, OLAW concluded the following: “Based on its assessment of PPl's corrective actions, review of the supporting documents, and the information gathered during the site visit, OLAW found PPI fully compliant with the provisions of the PHS Policy and the Guide.”
The results of the USDA investigation are still pending. PPI is appreciative of the time and effort that OLAW staff put into the process, and feel that this experience has resulted in a much stronger animal welfare program.
PPI has operated Panther Tracks Learning Center, located approximately 22 miles southeast of Immokalee, FL and approximately 120 miles west-northwest of Miami, FL (at the northern edge of the Big Cypress Reserve) for over 15 years. The reasons PPI, and we assume other enterprises involved in breeding and housing nonhuman primates in this area, selected Hendry County as the site for our facility is based on three critical criteria:
It is always bittersweet when a friend and colleague reaches retirement. On one hand, you are sad that what was, will not be, going forward. On the other, you are happy and excited for your friend who will be starting a new chapter with perhaps a new adventure or two with their remaining years. It has been my sincere honor and very great pleasure to have spent the last 23 years working with Don here at Primate Products and although as a family member we know he will never be very far away, beginning June 1st, Don will begin his long postponed retirement. Postponed I might add primarily by myself pleading with him to finish just one more project, show, situation or whatever fire needed immediate attention over the last several years.
I am including a copy of part of the nomination letter for Don’s Garvey Award which he received in 2011. Although lengthy I think it is a fitting tribute to a life dedicated to the improvement and advancement or our industry. We all wish him the very best of luck and success in whatever lies ahead.
Sincerely,
Paul W. Houghton
1969 – 1974 UCLA- Harbor General Hospital in Torrance, CA
Don rose through the ranks to eventually become the General Supervisor. He became active in the Southern California Branch of AALAS serving on its Board of Trustees and on its Technician Training Committee working with Bob Watkins. His work performance, contributions and leadership in training efforts were recognized by the branch when it honored Don with its “Outstanding Technician Award” in 1971. Until his departure in late 1974, Don oversaw extensive renovation of the facilities and planning for new facilities at Harbor General and laid the ground work for the eventual AAALAC accreditation of the program.
1975 – 1988 University of Iowa’s Animal Care Unit (ACU) in Iowa City, IA
Don began as the Husbandry Section Head for the Bowen Science Building. Don rapidly assumed greater responsibilities and became the Coordinator of Animal Husbandry in 1977. Together with the Director and University Veterinarian, Dr. Paul Cooper, went on to lay out the complete rebuilding of the facilities and programs. Again, the foundation of the rebuilding was the training of the husbandry and veterinary technical staffs. An interesting side note regarding the training program that Don put in place is that the institution did not recognize the need for nor did it provide facilities for such a program. So Don conducted “brown bag lunches” in the washroom of the Bowen Science Building, with the staff volunteering to eat their lunch right where the cages were washed. In just two short years, those training efforts resulted in the program going from a situation of having only one (Don) staff member (of 30 people) certified at any level to having over half the staff certified at the Technologist level and all but two certified at other levels.
Throughout his tenure at the University of Iowa, Don was active in both the Iowa Branch of AALAS and national AALAS. He served on the AALAS Board of Trustees representing District VI, serving on the AALAS Animal Technician Certification Board (ATCB), presented workshops on a variety of topics ranging from Cost Accounting in Laboratory Facilities, to the Dynamics of Group Motivation, he presented numerous papers at the local, district and national AALAS meetings, presented workshops at the local community college, consulted to the local animal shelter and to a local company manufacturing animal housing systems and served on the AALAS ATCB. He was honored by the Iowa Branch AALAS with its “Outstanding Supervisor” award in 1979 and its highest honor the “Dr. Ronald E. Flatt Memorial Award” in 1988. He also obtained his BBA/MIS degree from the University of Iowa in 1988.
1988- 1992 University of Miami, Division of Veterinary Resources, Miami, FL
Don moved on to the University of Miami in December 1988 where he assumed the position of Assistant to the Director. His efforts in training of others continued there and within the Florida Branch of AALAS, where he served on the board of Trustees for 8 years. The training program at the UM became the favored training program of the VA system in Miami, Childrens Hospital in Miami and Baxter, Inc. in Miami, with attendees coming from all over south Florida to obtain their certification through the program lead by Don.
1992 – Present Primate Products, Inc. (PPI) Immokalee, FL
Don began his career on the commercial side of the laboratory animal science industry when he began his own company (RepOne) providing sales representation for up to 11 different vendors serving the biomedical research community. One of those companies was Primate Products, Inc. (PPI).
Don joined PPI full time as the Director of PPI’s proposed Live Animal Division, which began business in late 1994. As the Director, Don established the SOPs, again wore his training hat overseeing the training program of PPI’s husbandry and veterinary technical staffs. He developed the software system used by PPI until the summer of 2010 and co-developed its replacement (ENOS) which is now commercially available. He continued his service to national AALAS serving on the Distance Learning Committee and the Exhibitor Advisory Council. He served the commercial members of AALAS serving on several committees and as the ATA President in 2007 and 2008. He also has continued to present papers and participate in roundtable platforms at district and national meetings of AALAS and LAMA.
One of Don’s most important contributions to the research community is his role in helping PPI develop its Panther tracks Learning Center and the conducting of (Primadaption) workshops, which center on the development of improved and successful programs of providing enrichment and care to captive nonhuman primates. These workshops are open to the biomedical research community and are attended by personnel ranging from veterinarians, veterinary and husbandry technicians, investigators, supervisory and behavioral staff. This program has received excellent reviews from its attendees.
Don’s leadership at PPI has contributed to our continuing growth in business and our continuing dedication to our corporate mission to provide products, services and training to enhance the conservation and care of nonhuman primates.
