Animal Care Policies

Methods of euthanizing animals assigned to IACUC protocols must follow the most recently published AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals whenever possible.

The use of adjuvants in research animals must be reviewed and approved by the IACUC.

This policy defines the circumstances and procedures by which University-owned dogs, cats, and horses no longer needed for University research or teaching (collectively “Research Animals”) may be offered for adoption as pets.

Anesthesia machines and vaporizers must be properly maintained to ensure high-quality anesthesia is provided to research and teaching animals.

Access to animal facilities managed by the Animal Care Program (ACP) requires authorization from ACP management.

Photographs or filming of animals and animal housing or procedural space within the laboratory animal facilities must have prior approval from veterinarians.

The Animal Care Program (ACP) at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign maintains eight centrally managed biomedical vivaria. Animal housing space allocation at the vivarium-level and the room-level are determined by the specific species, research needs, and the overall occupancy of each facility. Rooms are assigned by ACP based on species, health status, and research needs. Research needs may include the type of housing (static vs. ventilated caging), light cycles, or hazard containment (ABSL-2 or chemical hazard). Rooms and ACP-provided caging equipment are not dedicated to individual investigators.

Access to the animal facilities is restricted to animal care staff and research personnel that are included on an IACUC-approved protocol due to security and biosecurity concerns.

Biosecurity and biocontainment practices are important to preventing disease outbreaks resulting from exposure to pathogens in imported or resident colonies, flocks, or herds.

DEA regulations require that principal investigators obtain their own Federal and State of Illinois controlled substances licenses.

Policy covering the treatment of dogs used in research studies.

Describe the oversight required for use of avian eggs in research and teaching.

All animals must receive appropriate and consistent environmental enrichment. The nature of enrichment is species- and age- or developmental stage-specific.

This policy outlines guidelines for establishing and maintaining mouse breeding groups in accordance with the 2011 version of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

Dogs housed singly in runs with less than twice the Guide’s minimum floor space must receive a documented exercise plan unless exempted by veterinary staff or IACUC-approved scientific justification.

The University of Illinois investigator will provide ACP-LAB (formerly DAR) with information required to produce a health status report and contact information for the receiving institution’s veterinarian or import/export coordinator and the receiving investigator.

IACUC review determines whether wildlife field activities need a protocol and whether AWA requirements apply.

Rodents must be fed a nutritionally complete diet ad libitum unless adequate scientific justification for food restriction is provided in the animal use protocol.

Social animals should be socially housed by default per the applicable Guide, and any single-housing exception must be justified in an approved IACUC protocol

The IACUC uses a tiered protocol amendment review process so changes receive review proportional to their impact.

Only animals originating from an approved commercial vendor or other approved sources are received in the University of Illinois animal facilities without undergoing additional screening, quarantine, rederivation, or other suitable monitoring or decontamination procedures.

The IACUC and ACP have developed the following policy intended to eliminate or reduce to a minimum animal discomfort associated with in vivo production of monoclonal antibodies.

All animals must be observed at least once daily by trained individuals who are familiar with the species unless a specific exception has been granted by IACUC.

All personnel with direct or indirect contact with laboratory animals must enroll in the Occupational Health and Safety Program, with requirements scaled to their exposure level.

PIs and personnel approved by IACUC to provide animal care are subject to routine oversight by the Animal Care Program (ACP).

Principal Investigators must notify the Office of Animal Research Compliance of any extended absence that could affect protocol oversight.

Compounded drugs for live animal use must be prepared and stored aseptically, labeled appropriately, and used within the earliest component expiration date and the mixture’s beyond-use date.

If a disaster limits viable housing and resources, the ACP-LAB director and/or veterinarians will assess animal colonies to determine priority status affecting distribution of resources.

Procurement of custom antibodies requires IACUC oversight.

This policy applies to the procurement of all animals (including fish and birds) maintained in Animal Care Program - Laboratory Animals (ACP-LAB, formerly DAR) facilities. Procurement of animals from off-campus sources or animal transfers between campus research and teaching protocols require approval in advance via the Animal Request Form.

Because expired materials can jeopardize animal welfare, data integrity, and compliance, expired high-risk items are prohibited for live-animal use and all expired materials must be clearly labeled, segregated, and managed to prevent inadvertent use.

When animals used in research and teaching are born or hatched in UIUC production units, the ACP-AG Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) subsidizes the costs of health care, contingent upon completion of required preconditioning of the animals prior to shipment from the source herd.

Adverse events or unexpected outcomes for animals assigned to approved protocols must be reported to the appropriate veterinary staff and to the IACUC.

Individuals charged with performing animal observations, whether members of the animal husbandry staff or the research team, are responsible for reporting animal health- or welfare-related problems according to established procedures.

All research, teaching, and outreach activities at the University of Illinois involving vertebrate animals must be approved by IACUC before the activity begins.

The IACUC reviews and investigates animal-related incidents to determine noncompliance and, when warranted, requires corrective actions, imposes disciplinary measures, and completes any required external reporting with an established appeal process.

Dogs in the last 25% of their estimated lifespan through the end of life are considered senior age (AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines). The UIUC Animal Care Program considers dogs 7 years old and older as ‘senior’ age. A per diem specifically for senior aged dogs is provided starting at the beginning of the month that dog is 7 years 6 months old to address the additional husbandry and preventative care required.   

Supports the 3Rs by allowing one sample collection from a client-owned animal to serve multiple IACUC-approved protocols without added risk.

Following transport to a campus facility, animals should be maintained in their home cages/pens for at least 48 hours prior to use in teaching or research activities.

Survival surgical procedures performed on research, testing and teaching animals must be done by qualified personnel using aseptic technique in appropriate facilities.