AAALAC International is a private, non-profit organization that provides a voluntary, peer-review accreditation program.  Accreditation by AAALAC International demonstrates that universities and laboratories go beyond the “minimum standards” and are committed to excellence in animal care and use. Wayne State University (WSU) has proudly held full AAALAC International accreditation since 1977. AAALAC International accreditation is important as it demonstrates that we are serious about setting, achieving, and maintaining high standards for animal care and use and are committed to animal welfare in science.  Additionally, potential funders (i.e., National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense (DoD), Veteran’s Affairs (VA)), collaborators, and federal regulators view AAALAC International accreditation as an indication of transparency and commitment to animal welfare practices throughout the study process. 

The WSU Animal Care and Use Program will undergo a site visit in November 2023 to renew its full accreditation with AAALAC International. During this site visit, a team of site visitors representing AAALAC International will review our Animal Care and Use Program and inspect both Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) and non-DLAR (laboratory) animal housing and use areas. This is an opportunity for the university to show our Warrior pride and excellence in all that we do. A full schedule and tip sheet will be forthcoming and distributed to all animal investigators prior to the site visit. For more information on the upcoming AAALAC International site visit and to prepare, please contact the IACUC Office (IACUC@wayne.edu).