Care and Use of Animals for Research Teaching or Demonstration

Policy 213

Purpose

Consistent with policies adopted by the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, this policy is intended to:

provide appropriate oversight of the use of animals in teaching, research, and/or demonstration,
establish authority of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee for providing such oversight,
enable research, teaching or demonstration activities involving animals at the University to be conducted under consistent ethical and regulatory parameters, and
provide guidance to the research community for adhering to the University’s policy on animal use in research, teaching, or demonstration.

Scope

Unless otherwise excepted by the provisions hereof, this policy shall apply to any research, teaching, or demonstration activity which involves the use of animals that is conducted on behalf of the University or by an agent of the University. This policy applies to all individuals who utilize animals for research, teaching or demonstration activities at University facilities as well as other locations when projects involve University funding and/or faculty, student, or staff activities.

Definitions

Animal

Any live, non-human vertebrate being that is used or intended for use in research, teaching or testing. Animals covered by this policy are either:

owned by the University,
housed by the University,
are wild animals being studied, captured or otherwise manipulated by an agent of the University, or
are privately owned animals used by an agent of the University for purposes of University research, teaching or demonstration.

Agent of the University

Conducts research, teaching or demonstrations on Appalachian’s main or affiliated campus locations, or serves a representative of Appalachian conducting any of these activities off campus on behalf of or under the instruction of the University.

Research

Testing or experimentation requiring the manipulation of the animal or its environment to obtain a desired or predicted outcome.

Teaching

The use of animals for instructional purposes in a University course.

Demonstration

The display or manipulation of an animal or its environment for purposes of learning, expression, or entertainment.

IACUC

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is a committee authorized by the Animal Welfare Act and Public Health Service Policy to oversee animal care and use in research, teaching and demonstration activities.

Policy and Procedure Statements

Roles and Responsibilities

Institutional Official

The Chancellor of the University has designated the Chief Research Officer as the authorized Institutional Official (IO) with responsibility for the University program for animal care and use in University research, teaching and demonstration activities.

IACUC

The IACUC shall consist of faculty, staff and community members with appropriate experience and expertise, in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act Regulations and Standards (AWARS), and the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources’ (ILAR) Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the Federation of Animal Science Societies’ (FASS) Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching, and other regulatory bodies as identified. The Chancellor of the University appoints IACUC members for a term of three years. The Chancellor shall designate the Chair of the IACUC. The IACUC will report to the IO.

Attending Veterinarian

The Chancellor or IO shall appoint a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine to serve as Attending Veterinarian (AV). The AV has overarching authority over the University’s animal care and use program, including access to all animals; and is provided the resources needed to manage the program of veterinary care, including appropriate handling, sedation, analgesia, anesthesia, and euthanasia. The AV shall provide assistance in the health, care and control of disease in animals, including dispensing medications to control infections as well as providing other medical services. The AV shall provide guidance to investigators and any personnel involved in the care and use of animals, including surgical procedures and post-surgical care. The AV has the authority to treat any animal, remove it from a study, provide pain remediation, or euthanize if necessary.

Research Protections

Research Protections provides administrative support to the IACUC, maintains the most current version of Appalachian’s policy on the Care and Use of Animals for Research, Teaching or Demonstration, manages IACUC review processes, maintains appropriate records, and serves as liaison with the federal government on the care and use of animals. A staff member in Research Protections will serve as the IACUC Administrator and work with the IACUC to establish procedures to implement this policy.

Oversight

IACUC Review Requirements

Principal Investigators (PIs) conducting research, teaching or demonstration activities with animals must be full-time faculty or staff. Undergraduate and graduate students cannot serve as a PI on a proposal involving the use of animals. PIs are responsible for the animal care and use of all personnel listed on a proposal involving animals.
Prior to the initiation of any activity involving the use of animals, the PI is responsible for requesting IACUC proposal review and approval.
University research, teaching and demonstration activities with animals may only be conducted when approved by the IACUC and during the term approved by the IACUC.

IACUC Review

The IACUC shall review proposals for the care and use of animals in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Act Regulations, the Public Health Service’s Policy on the Human Care and Use of Animals in Research, the Guide for the Care and Use of Animals in Research, the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching, the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Guidelines on Euthanasia, and other regulatory requirements as identified.

The IACUC has the authority to approve, require modifications to, defer, disapprove, suspend or terminate any research, teaching or demonstration activity involving animals. The final decision regarding approval, disapproval, suspension or termination of any protocol rests with the IACUC.

IACUC Inspections

The IACUC has the oversight and responsibility for evaluation of the entire animal care and use program and its components. The committee meets as often as necessary to fulfill its responsibilities.
The IACUC has the authority to inspect facilities and animal use areas covered under the scope of this policy. This authority permits inspections at a frequency determined by the IACUC, but at a minimum of two times per year.
The IACUC has the authority to observe selected research and/or animal care procedures as a part of continued ongoing monitoring.

Reliance on Outside Authorities

The IO has the authority to rely on another institution’s IACUC approval for collaborative activities where animal care and use is the responsibility of the collaborating institution’s Animal Care and Use program.

Non-compliance

Animal use for teaching, research or demonstration in the absence of IACUC approval is a serious violation of this policy, and in some cases, a violation of federal law.
Animal activities conducted under the guise of an approved IACUC protocol but which are not specifically outlined in that protocol are considered a violation of this policy, and in some cases, a violation of federal law.
If at any time the IACUC becomes aware of unanticipated problems involving risks to animals or investigators, or other serious or continuing noncompliance with IACUC review requirements, determinations or federal regulations, it may request a meeting with the PI and/or suspend the research until the problem can be further evaluated. Under these circumstances, the Institutional Official will be made aware of the situation immediately, and they will be advised of any further actions subsequently recommended by the IACUC. In these circumstances, the IACUC may impose sanctions on an individual by suspending the individual’s right to conduct or supervise

research, teaching and demonstration activities involving animals, and recommending discipline of a faculty, staff member, or student of the University. These sanctions are provided as examples and are not intended to be exhaustive; individual situations may call for specific actions and remedies not specified here.