From 2001 to 2004, I was involved in assisting different animal
welfare NGOs in setting up the first of its kind ‘Rescue centre for
Primates’ in Sultanpur, Haryana. The centre was the first of its kind
equipped with a hospital, a veterinarian and assistants and large
cages to hold the animals in and was funded by People for Animals
Delhi. The first batch of animals we received were being ‘retired’
from research .Around 30 rhesus macaques were brought to the
shelter, many had not sat upright or seen sunlight , since they had
been confined to dark dingy cages in the research laboratories. Most
of these animals had been confined in single cages , so we set about
the task of releasing them in large enclosures where they could run,
climb up and forage, and form their own social groups. Of course
initially there were many fights as each individual tried to establish
dominance but soon they settled into a more amicable co-existence.

My job was to assist in the day to day running of the centre, to install
enrichment devices in the cages that encouraged more naturalistic
behavior for the animals. A highpoint for the shelter was when Dr
Jane Goodall visited the centre and gave her stamp of approval to
the facility! The shelter was supported by funds from PFA , Delhi and
land donated by Anuradha Sahwhney from PETA.