Guide to the Responsible Care & Use of Laboratory Animals at UWM

Chapter II:   Organizational Structure for Animal Care and Use

Chapter II pdf format, Adobe Acrobat Required(for printing)

  1. Structure of Organization

    1. The Chancellor of the University is charged with ensuring compliance with UWSystem, state and federal guidelines and the principles stated previously.

    2. The Chancellor is advised by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) in how to implement the system, state and federal guidelines, in accordance with current PHS standards.

  2. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

    1. Requirements

      The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is required by the Animal Welfare Regulations and the Public Health Service Policy

    2. Appointments

      A Committee Chair is appointed by the Chancellor. The Chancellor also appoints at least one active scientist from the following departments, schools, or research centers housing or using animals: Health Sciences, Biological Sciences, WATER Institute, Chemistry, Psychology and a Field Scientist. In addition, the Chancellor must appoint: one doctor of veterinary medicine, with training and experience in laboratory animal science and medicine; one member whose primary concerns are in a nonscientific area and one individual who is not affiliated with the institution in any way other than as a member of the ACUC and is not a member of the immediate family of a person affiliated with the institution.

    3. Composition

      1. Animal Welfare Act: 3 member minimum—Must include a veterinarian, a public member representing community interests and a practicing scientist experienced in research involving animals.

      2. PHS Policy: 5 member minimum-- Must include a veterinarian, a public member representing community interests, a practicing scientist experienced in research involving animals and one non-scientist.

    4. Responsibilities

      1. Advise and make recommendations to the Chancellor on all matters related to the responsible use and care for animals in research and teaching at UWM.

      2. Review and approve, require modification in, or withhold approval of all proposed activities related to the care and use of animals before the activities are conducted.
      3. Review at least semi-annually the institution’s program for humane care and use of animals.
      4. Inspect at least semi-annually all of the institution’s animal facilities, including satellite facilities and all study areas.
      5. Suspend an activity involving animals in violation of the AWA, the PHS Policy or the “Guide” following review and in accord with specifications stated in the Problem Resolution Chart.
      6. Advise the Institutional Official on how to ensure compliance with federal, state, and UW-System regulations on a functional, daily basis.
      7. Handle concerns about animal care and use. See the Animal Care Program’s webpage: http://www.safety.uwm.edu/ under ACUC policies for the Animal Care and Use Committee Investigative Procedures. There is a whistle blower clause in the law to help maintain confidentiality for those who voice a concern.

  3. Department of University Safety & Assurances

    1. The Department of University Safety & Assurances will administer the Animal Care Program.

    2. The Department of University Safety & Assurances must retain a qualified veterinarian whose duties and responsibilities will be specified by the Director with input from the IACUC.
    3. The Director of University Safety & Assurances serves as the Institutional Official.

      Responsibilities: The IO is the individual who has the authority to sign the University’s Assurance, making a commitment on behalf of the University that the requirements of the PHS Policy are met. The IO is also the individual who is authorized to legally commit on behalf of the research facility that the requirements of the AWA will be met.

  4. Attending Veterinarian

    1. Responsibilities

      1. The attending veterinarian will monitor the health of the animals and the overall Animal Care Program on campus to ensure compliance with appropriate regulations and perform duties and responsibilities as specified by the Director of the Department of University Safety & Assurances.

      2. Oversee animal care and facilities on campus. This responsibility includes coordinating the care of animals with disease conditions, providing for euthanasia of animals when overseeing both regular maintenance of facilities and proper record keeping of animal populations.
      3. Serving as a central resource person for information regarding obtaining a DEA license for controlled substances and how to use them properly in animals.
      4. Provide an education and training program for individuals who handle animals on campus, in concert with the Animal Care and Use Committee. Maintain a webpage for the animal care program at: http://www.safety.uwm.edu.
      5. Collect and maintain Department of University Safety and Assurances records on the use and care of animal subjects for teaching and research, in coordination with the departments and the IACUC.
      6. Report on animal use, according to standardized procedures and policies, both from individual departments to the Director, University Safety & Assurances and from Department of University Safety & Assurances to UW-System.

  5. The Principal Investigators

    1. Responsibilities

      1. All animals under his or her charge, in accordance with UW, state, and federal guidelines. The investigator is responsible for maintaining the good health of the animals and appropriate standards of cleanliness within the immediate animal housing area, as well as in the conduct of the research project.

      2. Adhering to the standard operating procedures approved by the ACUC, which are to be posted by the department in each animal facility.
      3. Ordering all animals from approved vendors unless approval is obtained for special animal needs.
      4. Submitting the protocol review form for all activities involving animals for review to the Department of University Safety and Assurances in a timely fashion. The PI will not initiate and project until the protocol has been approved.
      5. Ensuring that records are kept on animal use, including cage or tank cards, census, mortality and morbidity.
      6. Ensuring that personnel who handle animals have received appropriate training before projects begin. See the Chapter on Training for details.

  6. The Departments, Schools, Colleges:

    1. Responsibilities

      1. Ensuring that all faculty members, academic staff, graduate students, technicians and undergraduate students involved with animals in research and/or teaching have received appropriate training prior to any animal use.

      2. Ensuring that all animal facilities are supervised adequately in consultation with the Attending Veterinarian.
      3. oordinating training programs in conjunction with the Attending Veterinarian.
      4. Informing the Attending Veterinarian of animal purchases, i.e., who is purchasing the animals and the anticipated arrival date of these animals.
      5. Complying with the OLAW Guidelines on animal housing requirements, (i.e., air conditioning, heating, ventilation, adequate caging, etc.) if they operate an animal facility.

Updated November 13, 2006 by SAK