Exporting Laboratory Animals
Type
PolicyPolicy
The University of Illinois investigator will provide the Animal Care Program - Laboratory Animals (ACP-LAB, formerly DAR) with the 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. Animal Export Request Forms specifying required information are available on ACP-LAB’s forms webpage. The investigator will hold shipment of animals pending notification from ACP-LAB that the receiving institution has agreed to accept the shipment.
ACP-LAB will provide the investigator with an Animal Export Request Form. When provided with a completed form, the ACP-LAB will produce, fax, and mail a health status report within five business days. DAR will notify the investigator and the unit supervisor when the receiving institution’s laboratory animal veterinary office agrees to accept the shipment. The animal facility supervisor will work with the investigator to arrange shipping after export approval is received.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) will oversee compliance with this policy.
Background
Many institutions request/require a report on the health status of animals prior to receiving them. ACP-LAB will send a report of the health status of animals proposed for shipment to the laboratory animal veterinary office of the receiving institution. Notification of acceptance from the receiving institution’s laboratory animal veterinary office to ACP-LAB must be received before animals are shipped.
Guidelines for Implementation
- Download the ACP-LAB Animal Export Request form.
- Provide all requested information and submit completed forms electronically to ACP-LAB via email. If someone other than the UIUC investigator submits the form, the UIUC investigator must be copied on the emailed submission.
- Within five business days from receipt of the completed Export Request Form, ACP-LAB will provide the receiving institution’s laboratory animal veterinarian with documentation of health status. All information provided is based upon the health surveillance sentinel program. Additional testing may be requested by the receiving institution.
- The receiving institution must provide ACP-LAB written approval from their laboratory animal veterinarian or import/export coordinator. ACP-LAB will not authorize the shipment until the written approval has been received.
- The UIUC investigator and facility supervisor will be notified promptly of the approval to ship.
- ACP-LAB must be notified when the animals have left the facility.
Please note the approval process and shipping could take several weeks to complete based on the receiving institution’s response time and potential weather restrictions.
References
- Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide), NRC, 2011.
- Animal Welfare Regulations, 9 CFR, chapter I, subchapter A.
- U.S. Government Principles for the Care and Use of Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training, 1983 (last updated February 2001).
Related Forms
Related Standards
- Guidelines for Implementation of ACP-LAB Policy on Export of Laboratory Animals
- Animal Import and Export Information