Resources

The resource toolbox contains a listing of regulations, reports, documents, and websites that researchers may need when conducting human subjects research.

Animal Care Organizations

USDA - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

The APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) is the agreement between West Texas A&M University and USDA. The WTAMU certificate number is 74-R-0206.

WTAMU Rules and Procedures for Protection of Animal Care and Use in Research

West Texas A&M University has specific policies and procedures for the establishment and operation of the WTAMU IACUC. The WTAMU IACUC institutional official is Dr. Angela Spaulding, Vice President of Research and Compliance for the University and supervises the operations of the IACUC. Dr. Gary Bigham is the Chair of the IACUC and is broadly engaged with the IACUC members and staff. The IACUC is directly accountable to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.

WTAMU Standard Operating Procedure for Emergency Operations for Animal Care and Use

The intent of this policy is to protect and manage the animals on campus in the event of an emergency; however, under no circumstances should any employee put themselves at risk or personal danger at any time. This policy will be used to supplement the WTAMU Emergency Operations Plan of each entity (EOP) and is written to comply with the Eighth Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide).

Emergencies, accidents, and injuries can occur at any time. Being prepared is key to minimizing the effects of emergency situations on the health and well being of people and animals.

Federal Regulations: Animal Welfare Act, (US Code, Title 7, chapter 54)

The Animal Welfare Act (US Code, Title 7, chapter 54) of 1966 as amended in 1970, 1976, 1985, 1990: Deals with the interstate movement and commercial activities involving various species of animals. The AWA also regulates the supply and care of animals destined for research facilities or exhibition. The AWA delegates regulatory oversight to the Animal Care Office within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). For a brief overview of the animal welfare act check out this brochure issued by APHIS.

The AWA defines "animal" as any live or dead dog, cat, nonhuman primate, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or any warm-blooded animal used for research, teaching, testing, experimentation, or exhibition purposes, or as a pet. By definition, cold-blooded species (amphibians and reptiles) are exempt from coverage under the AWA. The AWA further excludes the following:

Birds, rats of the genus Rattus, and mice of the genus Mus bred for use in research;
Horses not used for research purposes;
Farm animals, including livestock and poultry, used or intended for use as food or fiber or in agricultural research;
Fish; and
Invertebrates (crustaceans, insects).

The AWA requires all research facilities holding/using AWA covered species to obtain a USDA research registration and submit to periodic inspection by a USDA veterinarian. The USDA Registration number for the WTAMU animal research facilities is 74-R-0206.

The AWA associated regulations can be found in 9 CFR Chapter 1. Section 2.31 requires the formation of an IACUC with at least three members including the attending veterinarian and a member not affiliated with the institution.

The Animal Welfare Act regulations also set minimum standards for the transport of live animals ( Title 9, Chapter 1, Part 3: Standards).

NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (DHHS)

The Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) provides guidance and interpretation of the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals supports educational programs and monitors compliance with the Policy by Assured institutions and PHS funding components to ensure the humane care and use of animals in PHS-supported research, testing, and training, thereby contributing to the quality of PHS-supported activities.

May 2005

USDA National Agricultural Library (NAL)

Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8 ^th Edition

The purpose of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Guide), as expressed in the charge to the Committee for the Update of the Guide, is to assist institutions in caring for and using animals in ways judged to be scientifically, technically, and humanely appropriate. The Guide is also intended to assist investigators in fulfilling their obligation to plan and conduct animal experiments in accordance with the highest scientific, humane, and ethical principles. Recommendations in the Guide are based on published data, scientific principles, expert opinion, and experience with methods and practices that have proved to be consistent with both high-quality research and humane animal care and use. These recommendations should be used as a foundation for the development of a comprehensive animal care and use program, recognizing that the concept and application of performance standards, in accordance with goals, outcomes, and considerations defined in the Guide, is essential to this process.

PHS Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Animals in Research

This 2002 reprint of the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals reflects August 7, 2002, PHS Policy amendment permitting institutions with PHS Animal Welfare Assurances to submit verification of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval for competing applications or proposals subsequent to peer review but prior to award (67 FR 51289). New footnotes (6 and 12) are incorporated to provide institutions with the option of coding the names of IACUC members in materials routinely submitted to the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW). Citations and addresses are also updated in this reprint, and language specifying that information be submitted on institutional letterhead or in letter form is eliminated to allow for electronic submission of information to OLAW in the future.

AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia

At the request of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Council on Research, the Executive Board of the AVMA convened a Panel on Euthanasia in 1999 to review and make necessary revisions to the fifth Panel Report, published in 1993. ¹The Report of the 2000 AVMA Panel on Euthanasia was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. ²¹⁶In that version of the report, the panel updated information on euthanasia of animals in research and animal care and control facilities; expanded information on ectothermic, aquatic, and fur-bearing animals; added information on horses and wildlife; and deleted methods or agents considered unacceptable. Because the panel’s deliberations were based on currently available scientific information, some euthanasia methods and agents are not discussed.

Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals (1997)

Reference and Educational Materials