Date: Revised July 2009
 Reference:   Administrative Panel on Laboratory Animal Care

DIRECTIONS: Review the following material. Keep copies of guidelines with applicable protocols. You may find it helpful to post a copy of these guidelines in your laboratory. Questions should be forwarded to the APLAC office, 723-4550.

TRAINING: Training in these techniques and the humane treatment of laboratory animals during the procedures is taught by the Veterinary Service Center (VSC) staff. All new personnel who will be performing these techniques should contact VSC staff for training (725-9901).

The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals specifies that, "Animals should be cared for by qualified personnel every day, including weekends and holidays, both to safeguard their well-being and to satisfy research requirements." The following are guidelines for providing this care:

1. All animals that are in experiments that are not expected to cause any disability (including stock rodents and breeding animals) must be monitored daily. Any animals showing clinically abnormal behavior must be reported to VSC veterinary staff for further assessment or promptly euthanized. Moribund animals should be promptly euthanized (see Guidelines for Endpoint Monitoring and Humane Termination for determining if an animal is moribund).
   
   In VSC-managed facilities, VSC personnel conduct daily observations of these animals. In investigator-managed areas, laboratory personnel must perform daily observations. VSC personnel can conduct weekend and holiday observations for investigator-managed colonies if prior arrangements are made with the VSC Animal Husbandry Manager at 723-3876. There is a charge for this service.
2. All animals that are in experiments that may result in illness or disability must be monitored as described in the animal use protocol approved by APLAC. All animals that are in experiments that may result in death must be monitored at least twice daily, following the Stanford University Guidelines for Endpoint Monitoring and Humane Termination.
   
   It is the responsibility of laboratory personnel to provide monitoring of these animals. VSC personnel can conduct observations of these animals if prior arrangements are made with the VSC Animal Husbandry Manager at 723-3876. There is a charge for this service.
3. Records of these examinations must be kept, indicating the date and time of the observations, the person conducting the observations, and any findings of the observations. These records should be maintained and made available to VSC or APLAC personnel on request.
4. On-call VSC personnel are on duty 24 hours every day to respond to animal emergencies; personnel may be reached by calling 723-3876.

Contact: APLAC Administrator
Last updated: July 2009