Regulatory Agencies
All animal research falls under the jurisdiction of a number of regulatory agencies whose purpose is to see that researchers and institutions adhere to the guidelines for the humane care and use of laboratory animals and the practice procedures that keep in mind the welfare and safety of the personnel working with them.
In order to provide you with information regarding the regulations within the various agencies, we are supplying the addresses of several web sites for your convenience. Should you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
iacuc
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee for the University of Kentucky conducts twice yearly inspections of the animal facilities and investigator laboratories at the University of Kentucky. All protocols involving the use of animals must be submitted for approval prior to the research being conducted. The IACUC has established guidelines for various aspects of the care and use of laboratory animals used at the institution, and all investigators who use or plan to use animals on their approved protocol. Investigators should become familiar with these guidelines and they can be found on the Office of the Attending Veterinarian's IACUC page.
usda
The United States Department of Agriculture conducts visits to every institution that uses a USDA covered species in any way in any IACUC approved protocol. United States Department of Agriculture regulations refers to the Animal Welfare Act governing the transportation, handling, housing and sale of certain species of animals. View the APHIS - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA regulations.
public health
The Public Health Services Policy covers all animals used in any way on all IACUC approved protocols regardless of species View the Public Health Services Policy.
olaw
OLAW - Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare is an office of the National Institutes of Health responsible for implementation of the Public Health Service Policy View the OLAW website.
guide
The Guide For the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals outlines requirements for many aspects of care, housing and environmental requirements and training of personnel who use them. The Guide is in its' 8th edition. View The Guide (pdf, 246 pgs).
cdc
The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) is a government organization that is dedicated to protecting health and promoting quality of life through the prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability. It provides information on many aspects that can pertain to laboratory animal research. One of it's publications in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health and others is The Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) 6th Edition. This publication contains guidelines for the proper containment of biologic agents used in research.
aaalac
The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International is a voluntary peer review organization that conducts in depth reviews of all aspects of an institutions' animal care and use program including veterinary care, husbandry practices, animal housing facilities, training, and institutional policies. The University of Kentucky Division of Laboratory Animal Resources has had continuous accreditation since 1966. View the AAALAC site.
other
Other Guidelines
- The AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia 2020 (PDF, 121pgs). While not strictly a regulatory agency, it is important to know that humane euthanasia of all animal species fall under the guidelines and regulations of all of the regulatory agencies governing the humane care and use of laboratory animals in all protocols approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.