Animal-rights group damages scientist's vehicles

Animal-rights saboteurs have claimed responsibility for vandalizing the property of a second Portland-area scientist who uses monkeys in his research.

In a message Friday, the Animal Liberation Front acknowledged creeping onto the Portland Heights property of Dr. Miles Novy early Thursday and damaging two of his vehicles with graffiti and paint stripper.

"Novy's reproductive research on primates has resulted in this senseless torture of one of natures most magnificent creatures," ALF's saboteurs wrote in a message released by the North American Animal Liberation Press Office. "This blatant disregard for the earth, animals and its resources shall not go unseen by the ever-watching eyes of the ALF."

Novy, 70, works as an OB-GYN at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland and as a researcher at the Oregon National Primate Research Center in Hillsboro. His work with monkeys is credited with preventing uterine infections that cause premature births in humans.

The scientist awoke Thursday to find the words "sadist" and "ALF" spray painted in red on his Audi and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Paint stripper streaked the vehicles white.

"It's time to fight back," the ALF wrote in its claim of responsibility. "The only reason why people like Miles Novy sleep at night is because we let them."

Novy is the second research scientist at the Oregon National Primate Research Center to be victimized this year by the Animal Liberation Front, an underground group characterized by the FBI as one of the nation's leading domestic terrorist organizations. Last July, the front struck the home of Dr. Eliot Spindel, who uses monkeys to study ways to block fetal damage caused by pregnant smokers.

The Animal Liberation Front acknowledged spray painting Spindel's Lake Oswego garage door with the words, "ALF eyes on you!" The saboteurs hinted in a written claim of responsibility that if the scientist didn't quit the "torture industry," their next attack might include firebombs.

ALF's attacks on Novy's and Spindel's properties followed years of animal-rights protests outside their homes. Animal rightists believe that animals are capable of feelings, deserving of legal protections, and should not be used for food, clothing, entertainment or medical research.

Dr. Jerry Vlasak, a Los Angeles surgeon and animal-rights activist who acts as spokesman for the Animal Liberation Press Office, said his organization endorsed the attacks on Novy and Spindel's homes as "economic sabotage" on those profiting from animal abuse.

Vlasak said Novy and his colleagues should quit torturing animals in prenatal research and spend the millions they receive in research dollars to provide affordable health care to pregnant women.

Officials at the research center said the Hillsboro facility, home to 4,200 monkeys, is federally regulated, takes outstanding care of the animals and minimizes their pain and suffering to the best of its ability.

"A lot of what comes out of this place alleviates human and animal suffering," said Michael Conn, the acting head of the primate center's animal services division. "We think most people are going to share our outrage in these kind of (ALF) activities. This is just completely unacceptable."

Bryan Denson: 503-294-7614; bryandenson@news.oregonian.com