Background

This Policy describes standards for considerations of the sharing of animals between protocols.or animal re-use. The definition of "re-use" is the sequential use of the same animal(s) for unrelated experiments and includes those which have undergone a previous experimental procedure, retired breeding colony animals, and animals used in training and research.

The re-use of animals is a method to reduce the number of animal used in research in general. However, if the research protocols contain procedures with more than momentary pain or distress, a thorough evaluation of such sharing must be made to determine the impact on the animal's well-being. This is especially true when there are surgical procedures on the research protocols. Animals which have already been used on a study, especially when the well-being of the animal(s) has been compromised, should not be re-used. Examples include, but are not limited to, studies that may result in severe or chronic pain or that cause significant alterations in the animals' ability to maintain normal physiology, or adequately respond to stressors.

IACUC Policy

To transfer animals to another PI or protocol:

1. 1. If you intend to make animals available for re-use on other protocols (including those in which you are the PI), you must state such on your approved protocol.

1. 2. The IACUC must be notified within 24 hours of a transfer by completing and submitting the online IACUC Animal Transfer form. The following types of transfers require notification and completion of the IACUC Animal Transfer form:

a. Healthy experimentally naive animals (i.e., excess from shipments, unused offspring from breeding colonies).

b. Retired breeders.

c. Animals transferred from one protocol to another for the sole purpose of immediate euthanasia.

d. Animals that have been used for a simple experimental procedure (i.e., single blood, injection of control vehicle or saline) - this must be described on the IACUC Animal Transfer form.

e. Animals that have undergone complex experimental procedures (i.e., surgeries, experimental manipulations), transferred to another protocol for the purpose of a non-survival procedure - this must be described on the IACUC Animal Transfer form.

3. Animals that have undergone complex procedures (i.e., surgeries, experimental manipulations), transferred to another protocol for the purpose of a survival procedure require approval from the IACUC to determine if an amendment is necessary and the completion of a IACUC Animal Transfer form.

4. In the following cases, an amendment may be required:

a. Species or strain of animal is not listed on the recipient protocol.

b. Inadequate number of animals is listed on source or recipient protocol.

c. Multiple survival surgeries will be performed (between source and recipient protocol).

d. Multiple procedures will be performed on the same animal that could cause pain/distress (between source and recipient protocol).

e. The transfer involves a USDA-covered species.

1. 5. For USDA-covered species (i.e. rabbits, guinea pigs, pigs, hamsters, etc.), a transfer that would involve an animal having multiple survival surgeries across protocols requires approval by the USDA.
2.  
3. 6. To request that DLAR transport animals to another building on campus, follow the instructions for transportation in the Campus Animal Transport Form. DLAR must be notified 2 business days in advance of the transportation request.

References

1. The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8^th Edition. National Research Council Committee for the Update of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US).
2. Animal Welfare Regulations, 9 CFR, chapter I, subchapter A.

Approved: December 2012

Revised: October 2019, March 2023

Reviewed: October 2017