3.4.1.2 Animal procurement & identification
A. Background & Definitions
Researchers are expected to obtain animals from legal and registered breeder establishments (including their own institutions), except for species not bred specifically for research purposes (for these cases specific evaluation of the source is expected). In EQIPD terms, animals must be sourced from and transported legally and according to institutional policies (concerning acceptance criteria for example on microbiological and health status) and animal needs (transportation conditions appropriate to species). Upon arrival, animals are expected to be subjected to the institutional acclimation and quarantine procedures to ensure only healthy animals are accepted and used for research. Once allocated to a research project, animals should be identified following internationally accepted methods.
B. Guidance & Expectations
The following topics must be defined and documented:
- Source of animals
- Transportation method
- Acclimation and quarantine procedure/periods
- Institutionalacceptance criteria
- Study acceptance criteria (if different from institutional)
- Identification method
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET
- To coordinate the animal procurement (source and transportation) with the central institutional service (animal facility manager, veterinarian…) and document this has been done. Normally the central institutional service will be in charge of the ordering of research animals, but especially in the case of interinstitutional collaborations (transfer of animals between research groups), their participation is also essential.
C. Resources
Template to describe information related to animal care and use (all items covered by Section 3.4.1) - 3.4.1 Animal care and use.docx
Guidelines on reporting of animal procurement:
Online and other available guidance:
- AALAS/FELASA Working Group on Health Monitoring of Rodents for Animal Transfer [1]
- Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations [2]
- Guidance for the transport of laboratory animals (produced by LASA) [3]
- Report of the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations Working Group on animal identification [4]
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