Welcome to the Animal Care Unit

1
Welcome to the Animal Care Unit

• The excellence of the animal care and use program
  has been recognized by the Association for
  Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal
  Care International since 1982 (http//www.aaalac.
  org/). Once every three years, AAALAC conducts a
  thorough evaluation of the University of Kansas
  Lawrence campus animal care and use program and
  facilities to ensure ongoing, quality care for
  all animals used in teaching and research.
• The University of Kansas is a major public
  research and teaching university that operates
  through a diverse, multi-campus system. KU's
  many parts are bound together by a mission to
  serve as a "center for learning, research,
  scholarship, and creative endeavor" in the state
  of Kansas, the nation, and the world.

2
Meet the Staff
There are also seven full-time and one half-time
Animal Science Technicians who provide your
animals with quality care on a daily basis. In
addition to cleaning, feeding, and watering,
these employees monitor the health and well-being
of your animals. Any deviations from normal are
reported to supervisory staff immediately. Take
time to get to know the Animal Science Technician
who cares for your animals. Their work is
important to the success of your research. When
you need clean supplies, your technician will be
glad to help you. Feel free to leave them a note
on the animal room checksheet clipboard, or
better yet, talk with them in person.
3
Animal Care Unit Facilities
The University of Kansas, Lawrence Campus, has
six areas for laboratory animal housing totaling
33,930 square feet. Square footage includes
administrative offices, cage washrooms,
storerooms, animal rooms, procedure rooms, food
preparation, and vet clinic areas.
4
Animal Care Unit Policies and Procedures
Program Management

• Ensure compliance with public laws, policies, and
  recommendations,
• Maintain accreditation with the Association for
  Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal
  Care, International (AAALAC),
• Provide administrative support to the
  Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
  (IACUC),
• Provide for the basic needs of each species of
  animal as required by the Guide for the Care and
  Use of Laboratory Animals and as stated in the
  Universitys accreditation outline. Care is
  directed by the University Veterinarian and
  provided by animal science technicians,
• Provide an occupational health and safety
  training program to protect the health and ensure
  safety of everyone who will be exposed to animals
  at the University of Kansas Lawrence campus,
• Monitor animal procurement to ensure animals are
  purchased only for projects approved by the
  Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee,
• Maintain records of IACUC approved activities,
• Provide and document research staff training,
• Provide training on hazards associated with the
  use of animals to investigators and research
  staff as part of the institutional occupational
  health program involving animals,
• Manage the omni-lock security system.

5
Animal Care Unit Policies and Procedures
Animal Research Support Services

• Provide support services to include veterinary
  care, colony management, pathology, surgery,
  radiology, animal procurement, and quarantine
  services,
• Ensure that animals are procured from approved,
  licensed sources that meet quality control
  standards,
• Provide trained personnel for animal care and
  optimal facilities for animal housing,
• Monitor the health of animals on a daily basis,
• Provide equipment and supplies (cages, feed,
  bedding, drugs, etc.) to support animal use in
  research and teaching activities,
• Ensure the availability of feed and water to all
  laboratory animals according to established
  procedure or according to special requirements,
• Ensure that cage size and housing are in
  compliance with the NIH Guide for the Care and
  Use of Laboratory Animals,
• Ensure that cages, equipment, bedding and rooms
  are cleaned and sanitized on an appropriate
  schedule.
• Oversee maintenance of laboratory animal
  facilities and equipment.

6
Animal Care Unit Policies and Procedures
Principal Investigator Assistance

• Advise investigators concerning the selection and
  use of animal models,
• Assist, advise, and train research personnel in
  the proper handling, husbandry, transport,
  restraint, and experimental utilization of
  animals,
• Assist with preparation of Institutional Animal
  Care and Use Committee documents prior to
  committee review,
• Monitor compliance with training requirements and
  participation in the occupational health program,
• Provide guidelines and consult with investigators
  concerning appropriate administration of
  anesthetic, analgesic, or tranquilizing drugs to
  effectively minimize pain or discomfort,
• Ensure prompt and humane euthanasia of animals.

7
Animal Care Unit Policies and Procedures
Animal Quarantine and Identification

• Quarantine Vendor source rodents are
  quarantined within the animal room where they are
  to be housed. Their cages are marked with red
  cage cards and released as study models after
  7-days. Non-vendor source transgenic and
  knockout rodents are isolated for two months at
  the Life Sciences Research Laboratory or on
  fourth floor Haworth Hall. Other species are
  isolated in separate rooms. If the room is
  vacant, other species may be quarantined in the
  room where they are to be housed. Reptiles and
  amphibians are isolated within the animal room
  where they are to be housed.
• Deviations from the 7-day quarantine period must
  be approved by the University Veterinarian prior
  to receipt of the animals.
• Animal Identification Cage cards are color
  coded by Principal Investigator in community
  rodent rooms. A legend posted on the animal room
  door identifies the color for each investigator.
  When animals are in the breeding process, the PI
  color coded card is behind the females breeder
  card.
• Each cage card includes Principal Investigator
  name, number of animals, source, sex, strain or
  stock, and Animal Use Statement number.
• Other information such as weight and pertinent
  dates may be recorded on cage cards.
  Investigators may choose to use a separate card,
  inserted behind the identification card, to
  record procedural information.

8
Animal Care Unit Policies and Procedures
Entrance Schedule
To prevent spread of pathogens, all persons
working with animals must follow the entrance
schedule. Following the entrance schedule
reduces the transmission of disease and parasites
from one room to another and from one species to
another. Please follow it strictly.
All species, except reptiles and amphibians, are
maintained in separate rooms. The latter are
always housed separately by species and shipment
within the room. Most rodents are separated by
source as well as by species however, there are
a few rooms that house animals from more than one
vendor. Rooms are assigned letters designating
an entry schedule in order to group animals
according to their health status. Entrance
schedules are posted in several locations in each
facility. All rodent rooms have a letter
designation on the door. Rooms are entered as
follows (first to last) A Free of bacterial
and viral pathogens, Mycoplasma, and endo and
ectoparasites. B Free of bacterial and viral
pathogens, Mycoplasma. Positive for pinworms. C
Free of viral pathogens, Mycoplasma. Positive
for Helicobacter species D Positive or
potentially positive for endo and ectoparasites,
viral, bacterial, or other pathogens. This
category may include incoming non-vendor source
animals. Rodent rooms are entered according to
the list above. For example, all rodent rooms in
group A are entered before any rooms in group B,
C or D. If a rodent room in group D is entered,
then no other rodent room can be entered. The
animals that do not pertain to this schedule are
dogs, rabbits, pigs, amphibians or reptiles.
These animal rooms are entered after laboratory
rodents. When the need arises, some areas are
designated as rodent isolation areas. These are
marked Rodent isolation area. Enter this area
after other rodents and before dogs, pigs or
rabbits.
9
Animal Care and Use Concerns
The Animal Welfare Act requires that research
facilities provide guidance in methods whereby
deficiencies in animal care and treatment are
reported. No one shall be discriminated against
or be subject to any reprisal for reporting
suspected violations of any regulation or
standards under the Act. The University
Ombudsman serves as the initial contact for
persons desiring to lodge confidential complaints
regarding animal welfare at the University of
Kansas Lawrence campus. The Ombudsman will
obtain information relevant to the complaint and
forward it to the Institutional Animal Care and
Use Committee (IACUC) chairperson. The
University Ombudsman 864-7261. If a complaint
is an allegation of scientific misconduct, the
University Ombudsman will direct the complaint to
the Associate Vice Provost for Research. In that
instance, the Guidelines for Dealing with
Allegations of Scientific/Scholarly Misconduct
will be followed. Upon receipt of a complaint,
the IACUC chairperson will appoint a committee to
investigate alleged violations, notify proper
personnel and forward final reports of
investigations to the University
Ombudsman. Emergency telephone numbers are
posted in all Animal Care Unit maintained
facilities and in Principal Investigator labs
where animals are housed or used. At the bottom
of these signs, it reads If you wish to report
any concern involving the welfare of laboratory
animals in this facility, please contact the
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
through the University Ombudsman, 864-7261, 28
Carruth OLeary. All inquiries will be kept
confidential.
10
Responsibilities of Principal Investigators
Project Management

• Prepare and submit Animal Use Statements to the
  Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
  (IACUC) for review,
• Use appropriate anesthetic, analgesic and
  tranquilizing drugs to minimize pain or distress
  to animals,
• Use humane euthanasia methods as defined in the
  2007 AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia.
  http//www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanas
  ia.pdf
• Prior to initiating changes to approved
  procedures, a revision to an Animal Use Statement
  must be submitted to the IACUC for
  review/approval. This would include changes in
  species / strain to be used, dosing volume,
  dosing route, dosing frequency, vehicles,
  euthanasia methods, anesthetic protocols, study
  compounds to be administered, etc. Details about
  the IACUC approved policy for Significant vs.
  Insignificant revisions can be found at
  http//www2.ku.edu/acu/iacuc.shtml,
• An insignificant revision is a change that is
  unlikely to be a cost to the animal or may
  decrease the potential for pain/distress. An
  insignificant revision can be reviewed/approved
  by the attending veterinarian on the IACUC or the
  committee Chair.
• Significant revisions must be reviewed at a
  convened meeting of the IACUC.
• Use the Animal Welfare Information Center of the
  National Agricultural Library and other sources
  to improve experimental methodology and to
  prevent unnecessary duplication of animal
  experimentation.

11
Responsibilities of Principal Investigators
Animal Care Personnel Training

• Mandatory Training Requirements Everyone who
  participates in an IACUC approved activity must
  complete the following training PRIOR to
  initiating hands-on animal work
• Orientation Part 1 Introductions to Animal
  Care Unit Management staff / Occupational Health
  Hazard Presentation, Tour of the Malott Animal
  Facility
• Orientation Part 2 Completion of the on-line
  Animal Care Unit Orientation Handbook and
  Question Module.
• Participation in the animal care and use
  occupational health program.
• Hands-on Training The hands-on training
  requirement can be initiated after the training
  requirements listed above have been completed.
  New participants must be added to an Animal Use
  Statement before hands-on training can be
  scheduled. An e-mail notification is sent to the
  Principal Investigator and participant when the
  Add New Personnel process has been completed.
• Hands-on training is usually coordinated through
  the Technical Training Officer/Coordinator of
  Veterinary Services. The University Veterinarian
  may also provide hands-on training when highly
  technical or novel techniques will be initiated.
• Training by a lab colleague does NOT constitute
  completion of the Technical Training requirement.
  
• Working with animals prior to completing animal
  care and use training may jeopardize the
  continuance of a Principal Investigators
  research. The Institutional Animal Care and Use
  Committee can suspended an Animal Use Statement
  if training has not been completed.

12
Responsibilities of Principal Investigators
Animal Care Personnel Safety

• All bite wounds should receive immediate
  first-aid treatment. The wound should be cleaned
  thoroughly with an appropriate antiseptic soap,
  or Betadine solution, and rinsed with water. The
  patient shall report immediately to his or her
  supervisor and complete an accident report form.
  Animal Care Unit staff should be informed about
  problem animals (i.e. chronic biters).
• A dog or cat which inflicts a bite wound on a
  human will be observed for 10-days for symptoms
  of rabies or other zoonotic diseases.
• Protection and prevention measures are essential
  to ensure the health and safety of animal care
  and use personnel.
• Only authorized personnel shall enter facilities
  where animals are housed or used. Participation
  in the occupational health program is required.
• Street clothing shall be replaced or covered with
  protective clothing before entering animal rooms.
• The following protective items shall be worn
  where indicated Surgical gloves, long-sleeved
  garments, goggles, hearing protection, leather
  gloves, rubber boots and lab coats.
• Personnel shall not eat or drink in an animal
  holding or animal procedure room. Smoking is
  prohibited in all buildings on campus.
• Research and teaching activities involving
  hazardous materials or infectious agents must be
  managed by professional staff qualified to assess
  associated dangers and select appropriate
  safeguards.
• All participants in IACUC approved procedures
  must review lab safety information. This can be
  found at the Environment, Health and Safety
  website http//www.ehs.ku.edu/files/Training/Ani
  malCare/aculabsafetyorientation0817051.htm

13
Responsibilities of Principal Investigators
Animal Procurement and Transfer to Other
Institutions

• Common Rodent Stocks and Strains Animal orders
  must be placed with the ACU Administrative
  Associate before noon on Thursday for delivery
  the following week. An on-line animal order form
  is located at http//www2.ku.edu/acu/orderform.
  shtml.
• Rare Rodent Strains, Time Pregnant Rodents or
  Other Species Consult with the Animal Care Unit
  well in advance regarding procurement of these
  animals.
• Non-vendor Rodent Stocks and Strains
  Procurement of non-vendor animals is coordinated
  through the Technical Training Officer /
  Coordinator of Veterinary Services (TTO/CVS).
  The following steps must be completed prior to
  placing an order for non-vendor animals
• Material Transfer Agreement Contact KU Center
  for Research, Inc. prior to placing an order for
  non-vendor rodent stocks and strains to determine
  if a Material Transfer Agreement is needed.
• Health Status Report The supplier must provide
  the University Veterinarian with a health status
  report. The University Veterinarian must approve
  the transfer of animals, based on the health of
  the animal colony, prior to an order being
  placed.
• The University of Kansas Lawrence campus will
  not accept stray animals or donations of animals.
  Laboratory animals are purchased from USDA
  licensed dealers or approved sources.
• Shipment or transfer of animals from the
  University of Kansas Lawrence campus to another
  institution must be coordinated with the TTO/CVS.

14
Responsibilities of Principal Investigators
Animal Health Concerns

• Contact the Technical Training Officer /
  Coordinator of Veterinary Services (TTO/CVS) when
  an animal requires medical attention. An Animal
  Report form (ARF) must also be completed. This
  form is available on-line at http//www2.ku.edu/
  acu/arf.shtml. ARFs are also available in all
  Animal Care Unit maintained facilities (i.e.
  yellow form).
• In an emergency, contact the University
  Veterinarian or the TTO/CVS immediately.
  Emergency phone numbers are posted in all Animal
  Care Unit maintained facilities and in Principal
  Investigator labs. The Animal Care Unit
  departmental phone number is 864-5587.
• Health problems are checked the same day they are
  reported. Every effort is made to contact the
  researcher to coordinate treatments with research
  activities.
• The Animal Care Unit can euthanize animals to
  eliminate suffering without permission of the
  Principal Investigator if the University
  Veterinarian deems that this is appropriate.

15
Responsibilities of Principal Investigators
Entrance Schedule
To prevent spread of pathogens, all persons
working with animals must follow the entrance
schedule. Following the entrance schedule
reduces the transmission of disease and parasites
from one room to another and from one species to
another. Please follow it strictly.
Entrance schedules are posted in several
locations in each facility. All rodent rooms
have a letter designation on the door. Rooms are
entered as follows (first to last) A Free of
bacterial and viral pathogens, Mycoplasma, and
endo and ectoparasites. B Free of bacterial
and viral pathogens, Mycoplasma. Positive for
pinworms. C Free of viral pathogens,
Mycoplasma. Positive for Helicobacter species D
Positive or potentially positive for endo and
ectoparasites, viral, bacterial, or other
pathogens. This category may include incoming
non-vendor source animals. Rodent rooms are
entered according to the list above. For
example, all rodent rooms in group A are entered
before any rooms in group B, C or D. If a rodent
room in group D is entered, then no other rodent
room can be entered. The animals that do not
pertain to this schedule are dogs, rabbits, pigs,
amphibians or reptiles. These animal rooms are
entered after laboratory rodents.
16
Responsibilities of Principal Investigators
Animal Identification and Use

• Cage cards are color coded by Principal
  Investigator (PI) in community rodent rooms. A
  legend posted on the animal door identifies each
  PIs color. It is important that research staff
  understand and follow the color coding system.
  This eliminates the potential for using another
  Principal Investigators animals.
• When animals are in the breeding process, the PI
  color card is behind the females breeder card.
• Investigators may choose to use a separate card,
  inserted behind the PI color card, to record
  procedural information.
• If an animal cage is left empty while an
  experiment is being conducted, one of two
  procedures should be followed
• If the animal will be returned to the cage, the
  cage card should be left in place.
• If the experiment is terminal and the animal(s)
  will not be returned to the cage, the cage card
  should be removed or placed inside the cage.
  This will indicate to the Animal Science
  Technician that the cage is no longer needed.
• When multiple animals are housed in a cage and
  one is used for a terminal procedure, research
  staff must update the number of animals recorded
  on the cage card (i.e. Change from 3 to 2).
• Care must be taken to return water bottles or
  sipper tubes to cages after animals are returned
  to the animal room. When working in animal rooms
  after hours, the lights must be returned to the
  auto setting when you leave.

17
Responsibilities of Principal Investigators
Transporting Animals

• Public areas are sometimes used for transport of
  animals between animal care areas and Principal
  Investigator laboratories. Cage covers must be
  used when animals are transported through public
  areas. The Animal Care Unit provides pillowcases
  for this purpose.
• Transporting Animals between the KU-Lawrence
  campus and the KU Medical Center
• Transportation of animals is by Animal Care Unit
  (Lawrence) or Division of Laboratory Animal
  Resources (KUMC) climate controlled vehicles in
  filtered cages or containers.
• When animals are transferred from one facility to
  another, whether to a laboratory or housing
  facility, the transfer must be indicated on the
  protocol of both campuses. Prior to transferring
  animals, and after approval by both IACUCs, the
  Principal Investigator must submit the
  appropriate transfer forms, health status reports
  and details of the transfer to the attending
  veterinarians at both campuses.
• No unanticipated transfer of animals from one
  campus to the other not previously addressed in
  an IACUC approved protocol will be performed.
  Requests for transfer of animals not previously
  approved will require a revision of the
  applicable protocol and approval by both IACUCs.
  Failure to follow this protocol will result in a
  reportable incident.
• Transporting animals across campus is completed
  by ACU staff in temperature-controlled vehicles.
  Transportation requests can be made online using
  the Transportation Request form at
  http//www2.ku.edu/acu/transport.shtml or by
  contacting Jennifer Brooks at 4-8842 or
  jbrooks_at_ku.edu.

18
Responsibilities of Principal Investigators
Using Animal Care Facilities and Acquisition of
Lab Supplies

• Procedure Rooms
• To reserve an Animal Care Unit procedure room,
  complete the sign-up sheet posted outside of the
  procedure room door,
• Research staff is responsible for restoring the
  procedure room to its original condition
  following use,
• Sharps boxes are provided for proper disposal of
  needles, syringes, scalpels, etc. Do not use
  trash cans to dispose of these items. DO NOT
  RECAP NEEDLES WHEN WORKING IN ANIMAL CARE UNIT
  FACILITIES.
• Some items are provided by the Animal Care Unit
  (i.e. paper towels, disinfectant, cotton balls,
  etc.). Additional supplies can be obtained from,
  or ordered by, the Technical Training Officer /
  Coordinator of Veterinary Services (TTO/CVS).
  Ordering one week in advance will help to ensure
  availability of supplies when needed. Principal
  Investigators are charged for additional supplies
  on a cost recovery basis.
• Surgery Suite (Malott Hall) The surgery area
  can be reserved by contacting the TTO/CVS.
• Autoclaves There are two autoclaves located in
  the Malott facility. Research staff must be
  trained by the TTO/CVS before using this
  equipment.
• Necropsy (Malott Hall) A down-draft exhaust
  necropsy table is available for use. Contact the
  TTO/CVS to reserve this room.

19
Responsibilities of Principal Investigators
Final Disposition of Animals

• Culling (euthanasia)
• Research staff can euthanize animals following
  the method approved in the Animal Use Statement,
• The Animal Care Unit staff will euthanize animals
  when "CULL" is written on cage cards. Please be
  aware that all animals in a cage marked CULL
  will be euthanized.
• An on-line cull form is located at
  http//www2.ku.edu/acu/cull.shtml.
• Contact the University Veterinarian to request
  diagnostic services (i.e. histology, necropsy).
• Transfers
• Animals can be transferred to another Principal
  Investigator who has an IACUC approved Animal Use
  Statement. Principal Investigators can request a
  transfer by completing the on-line Animal
  Transfers form located at http//www2.ku.edu/ac
  u/transferform.shtml.
• Animals that have had no surgical or chemical
  intervention may be of use to another
  investigator. These animals may be placed at the
  discretion of the Animal Care Unit.
• Adoption For those few animals that would be
  suitable pets, adoption is an alternative. Only
  those animals not subjected to treatments with
  hazardous chemical, biological, or radiologic
  agents will be eligible for adoption. Each time
  an animal is to be adopted out,
• The Principal Investigator must provide
  authorization in writing before adoption
  procedures are initiated.
• The University Veterinarian must examine the
  animal to certify that it is in good health.
• An Adoption of Laboratory Research Animal Release
  and Waiver Form must be completed.
  http//www2.ku.edu/acu/forms/pdf/adopt98.pdf.

20
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
(IACUC) is an administrative committee required
by law. The committee oversees and approves all
research and teaching performed with live animals
at the University of Kansas Lawrence campus.
The IACUC meets once each month to review
protocols and institutional policies. The
Associate Vice Provost for Research and Vice
President, KU Center for Research, Inc., serves
as the Institutional Official (IO). The IO is
responsible for appointing the IACUC and has
ultimate authority over the animal care and use
program. Membership of the IACUC complies with
Public Health Service requirements and includes
the following

• At least five investigators representing
  departments that use animals (with no more than
  two from a single department),
• The University Veterinarian (Animal Care Unit
  Director),
• A member from a nonscientific discipline,
• An Animal Care Unit representative,
• At least one community member not otherwise
  associated with the institution,
• A non-voting administrative representative, and
• At least one graduate student who uses animals.

21
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

• The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
  is charged with the following responsibilities
• Review the program for humane animal care and use
  at least once every six months using the NIH
  Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
  as the standard for evaluation,
• Inspect at least once every six months all animal
  housing and support facilities for compliance
  with the Guide. An animal housing area is
  defined as
• Facilities maintained by the Animal Care Unit,
• Facilities where animals are housed for 12 hours
  or longer in a non-ACU maintained area,
• Facilities where survival and non-survival
  surgical procedures are performed on non-covered
  species (i.e. laboratory rats and mice),
• Laboratories that use study compounds or
  veterinary compounds in a covered species (i.e.
  dogs, cats, rabbits, gerbils, hamsters, etc.),
• Laboratories that use anesthesia / analgesia in
  non-covered species,
• Review and approve, require modification, or
  withhold approval of all animal use proposals,
• Suspend activities involving inappropriate
  procedures with animals,
• Make recommendations to the Institutional
  Official regarding any aspect of the animal care
  and use program,
• Investigate complaints concerning animal care or
  use on campus,
• Administer the animal care and use training
  program for researchers,
• File reports required by law, and
• Oversee the occupational health program for
  personnel using or exposed to animals.

22
Regulating Agency Laws, Policies and Guidelines
The use of animals in teaching and research at
the University of Kansas Lawrence campus
complies with the following public laws,
policies, and guidelines

• Animal Welfare Act, United States Department of
  Agriculture
• http//www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/awa.htm.
• Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and
  Use of Laboratory Animals, National Institutes of
  Health, Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
• http//grants2.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/PHSP
  olicyLabAnimals.pdf.
• Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals,
  Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources
  Commission on Life Sciences, National Research
  Council
• http//books.nap.edu/readingroom/books/labrats/.
  
• Association for the Assessment and Accreditation
  of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC)
• http//www.aaalac.org/.
• 2007 AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia
• http//www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanas
  ia.pdf

23
Regulating Agency Laws, Policies and Guidelines
The Animal Welfare Act
The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires that
minimum standards of care and treatment be
provided for most warm-blooded animals bred for
commercial sale, used in research, transported
commercially, or exhibited to the public. This
includes animals exhibited in zoos, circuses, and
marine mammal facilities as well as pets
transported on commercial airlines. The AWA also
prohibits staged dogfights, bear and raccoon
baiting, and similar animal fighting ventures.
The law was first passed in 1966 and amended in
1970, 1976, 1985, and 1990. In enforcing the
AWA, the United States Department of Agriculture,
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
Animal Care (AC) conducts randomly scheduled,
unannounced inspections to ensure that all
regulated facilities comply with the law. If an
inspection reveals deficiencies in meeting the
AWA standards and regulations, the inspector
instructs the facility to correct the problems
within a given timeframe. If deficiencies remain
uncorrected at the follow up inspection, AC
documents the facility's deficiencies and
considers possible legal action. Such action
could include fines and/or license suspensions or
revocations.
24
Regulating Agency Laws, Policies and Guidelines
The Animal Welfare Act

• The Animal Welfare Act includes specific
  requirements for
• assurance that pain and distress are minimized
• strengthened veterinary care programs
• exercise of dogs
• improved programs for promoting the psychological
  well-being of primates
• and the formation of Institutional Animal Care
  and Use committees (IACUC) with broad
  responsibilities.

Institutions also must maintain records of animal
program inspections and IACUC review of animal
use proposals.
25
Regulating Agency Laws, Policies and Guidelines
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare - Public
Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals
The Public Health Service (PHS), particularly the
National Institutes of Health, has also reacted
to public pressure regarding the care and use of
animals in research. First, in 1972, they
sponsored the writing of the Guide for the Care
and Use of Laboratory Animals which outlines
criteria for optimum animal care. This guide is
used as a standard reference by the Association
for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory
Animal Care (AAALAC International) and on some
subjects by the USDA. The Guide can be found at
http//books.nap.edu/readingroom/books/labrats/
The University of Kansas Lawrence campus has a
PHS approved Assurance statement. Assurances are
evaluated by the Office of Laboratory Animal
Welfare (OLAW), Office of the Director, National
Institutes of Health. The adequacy of the
institutions program for the care and use of
animals in PHS-conducted or supported activities
is evaluated. On the basis of this evaluation
OLAW may approve or disapprove an Assurance.
Approval of an Assurance is for a specific period
of time (no longer than five years) after which
time the institution must submit a new Assurance
to OLAW. At the beginning of each calendar
year, an annual report is submitted to OLAW.
When applicable, changes to the program, as
described in the Assurance statement, are
reported. The Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committee conducts evaluations of the
Institutions program and inspects the
Institutions facilities on a semiannual basis.
Reports of these evaluations and inspections are
submitted to the Institutional Official as they
occur and to OLAW with the annual report. If
significant and/or minor deficiencies are
identified, a plan and schedule for correction is
included in the reports. No activity involving
animals may be conducted or supported by the PHS
without an Assurance that documents compliance
with this Policy. Without an applicable
PHS-approved Assurance no PHS-conducted or
supported activity involving animals at the
institution is permitted to continue.
26
Regulating Agency Laws, Policies and Guidelines
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare - Public
Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals

• The PHS Policy includes specific requirements
  for
• Transportation, care and use of animals in
  accordance with the Animal Welfare Act and other
  applicable Federal laws, guidelines and policies,
• Procedures involving animals must be designed and
  performed with due consideration of their
  relevance to human or animal health, the
  advancement of knowledge, or the good of society,
• The animals selected for a procedure must be of
  an appropriate species and quality and only the
  minimum number required to obtain valid results
  should be used,
• Avoidance and/or minimization of discomfort,
  distress and pain is imperative. Procedures that
  cause pain or distress in human beings may cause
  pain or distress in other animals,
• Procedures that cause more than momentary or
  slight pain or distress must be performed with
  appropriate sedation, analgesia or anesthesia.
  Animals that would otherwise suffer severe or
  chronic pain or distress that cannot be relieved
  must be painlessly euthanized at the conclusion
  of an experimental procedure. Or, if
  appropriate, during the procedure.
• The living conditions of animals should be
  appropriate for their species and contribute to
  their health and comfort. Veterinary care must
  be provided.
• All Principal Investigators and other personnel
  must be appropriately qualified and experienced
  for conducting procedures on living animals.
  Adequate training must be provided including
  proper and humane care and use of laboratory
  animals.

27
Regulating Agency Laws, Policies and Guidelines
Additional resources used as part of the animal
care and use program at the University of Kansas
Lawrence, campus

• American Association of Laboratory Animal Science
• http//www.aalas.org/index.aspx.
• Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC)
• http//awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax
  _level1info_center3.

The Secretary of Agriculture has been given the
responsibility of establishing a laboratory
animal information service at the National
Agricultural Library (NAL). Information available
from the Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC)
of the NAL includes Quick Bibliographies on
general subject areas and Search Tips Series on
specific humane procedures topics. Services
provided include information to

• Aid employee training
• Avoid unintended duplication of animal
  experimentation
• Improve methods which could reduce or replace
  animal use and minimize pain and distress in
  animals.

28
Regulating Agency Laws, Policies and Guidelines
The 3 Rs - Reduction, Replacement, Refinement
It is the stated aim of all medical researchers
to use as few animals and as responsibly as
possible. Ultimately it would be ideal if the use
of animals could be totally replaced by
non-clinical methods. Unfortunately few of these
currently exist and where they do they are often
not yet fully accepted by the world's regulatory
authorities. This means that the use of animals
will continue for some time to come. However,
the search for alternatives continues and is
guided by the principle of the 3 R's. This stands
for Replacement Reduction Refinement
Replacement - In recent years there have been
advances in non-animal techniques. These include
computer modeling, cell cultures and in vitro
(literally in glass - test tube) techniques. In
some cases these techniques, can replace some of
the existing animal tests but it will be many
years before all animal tests will be made
redundant by non-animal techniques. Reduction -
Quite simply this means that fewer animals are
being used in many areas of medical research.
Scientists are now able to be more confident in
the results that they have achieved. This
confidence means that fewer animals are required
to be sure that the results are
valid. Refinement - This concerns the manner in
which the animals are treated. Refinements are
methods that alleviate or minimize potential pain
and distress and enhance animal well-being.
Potential pain and distress can be avoided or
alleviated with proper use of anesthetics,
analgesics and tranquilizers. The principle of
Refinement ensures that if an animal is involved
in scientific research, it is treated with care
and respect and suffers as little as
possible. It is a common misconception that
animals are used because they offer a 'cheap
alternative' to non-animal techniques. The
reverse is in fact true.