The witness room of municipal court was crowded with witnesses in a monkey custody trial. Think about that. The people present that I knew were Dr. Ted Staph, Living Materials Center veterinarian, Tammy Welch, office manager extraordinaire, and Kim Davis, veterinary technician and Center volunteer. Leroy the monkey’s foster parents were present along with three representatives from Dallas Animal Control, and some unknowns to me standing about nervously straightening ties, shirts, pockets, and pant cuffs.

The primate in question was cooling his heels in his foster home in Lindale, Texas completely unaware of the concern for his well-being.

Poised, confidant, nattily dressed professional, Dallas City Attorney Delia Gonzales sauntered into the room. In a commanding presence voice she addressed the group. "The judge and parties involved are in chambers discussing the case. I will keep you advised."

We sat, we fidgeted, we searched for small talk, we surmised and predicted; the time passed slowly. Finally, the loose, hand written signs thumb tacked to the walls on each side of the door rustled, then Ms. Gonzales, followed by her assistant, made yet another commanding entrance into the room. The judge had listened and studied evidence from both sides and decreed, " The parties agree that the monkey was cruelly treated by (owner) under Section 821 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. Leroy shall be permanently removed from the custody of (owner) and given to an undisclosed non-profit organization that is agreed to by the parties."