Taking another bite of his foot-long sub, he figured that it must be the wind picking up. Then he saw the monkeys. Dozens of them were streaming over a tall metal fence at a compound owned by Alpha Genesis, one of the country's biggest breeders of primates used in scientific experiments. Swinging from the overhanging branches and darting through the woods, the animals were heading toward a nearby housing project, their pink faces lit with glee.
Melanie Kaplan: I'm a long-time journalist and a pretty curious person, so when I found myself living with Hammy-a really special creature who'd lived in a lab for several years-I felt I had no choice but to tell his story. I realized much of what I felt with Hammy- bonding with a pet, wanting to understand the background of someone I'd fallen in love with, questioning things that seemed unfair-was universal, so I thought people would relate to what I'd experienced.