Document Actions
IACUC Guidelines on the Care of Animals Maintained in Departmental Colonies for Teaching and Research
The purpose of these guidelines is to set uniform standards for the care and use of animals maintained in individual departmental teaching and research colonies. It was felt that this was necessary since these animals may be kept for long periods of time and used in a variety of teaching and/or research protocols numerous times. The following sets minimum standards; each department is required to keep adequate records on each animal's general heath and use.
- Animals kept in teaching / research colonies will be maintained at the same standard of care as that of client-owned animals in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital; i.e., animals will be vaccinated, wormed at appropriate intervals and care taken of teeth and hooves or feet. These animals should have regular physical examinations and routine health assessments performed. Records will be kept of all procedures including both teaching exercises and routine health care.
- Use of animals will be rotated to protect an individual animal from overuse. The interval at which the animal is used may vary with the type of procedure. For instance, mares in the teaching herd are used for one course at a time. Each colony manager will develop the criteria governing repeated animal usage and place them on file with IACUC.
- Appropriate treatment of any medical problems will be provided. If the condition is treatable, the animal will be treated at the same standard as client-owned animals.
- Good husbandry techniques must be enforced at all times. These include evaluation of individual animals' temperament to tolerate various types of handling and procedures. It also includes housing animals in compatible groups (to prevent the establishment of intolerable "pecking orders" which can lead to injuries). Animals with chronic medical problems or inappropriate behavior problems should be removed from the colony.
- Each colony will be maintained with a commitment to quality animal care and will be supervised by a resident veterinarian. This includes having adequate numbers so that overuse is avoided, providing appropriate medical care and providing environmental enrichment.
- The supervising veterinarian and colony manager will be identified on each Animal Use Protocol. They will be responsible to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.