Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and ...

Chapter 1: Institutional PoliciesScientific and professional judgment and concernfor the humane treatment of animals are requiredfor the proper care of animals used in agriculturalresearch and teaching (referred to in this guide as agriculturalanimal care and use). Because a variety ofmanagement systems and physical accommodationsmay be used for agricultural animals, an understandingof the husbandry needs of each species and of the particularrequirements of agricultural research and teachingis essential for an effective institutional program ofagricultural animal care and use (Stricklin and Mench,1994; Granstrom, 2003). Critical components of sucha program should include 1) clearly established linesof authority and responsibility; 2) an active InstitutionalAnimal Care and Use Committee (IACUC); 3)procedures for self monitoring of the IACUC throughsemi-annual review of programs and facility oversightby the institutional officer; 4) appropriately maintainedfacilities for proper management, housing, and supportof animals; 5) an adequate program of veterinarycare; and 6) training and occupational health programsfor individuals who work with the animals (ARENA/OLAW, 2002). This chapter is intended to aid in thedevelopment of institutional policies and programs foragricultural animal care and use.MONITORING THE CARE AND USEOF AGRICULTURAL ANIMALSEach institution should establish an agricultural animalcare and use program with clearly designated linesof authority in accordance with this guide and in compliancewith applicable federal, state, and local laws,regulations, and policies.The chief executive officer or responsible administrativeofficial of the institution should appoint a committee,the IACUC, to monitor the care and use ofagricultural animals in agricultural research and teachingactivities. The IACUC should be composed of individualswho are qualified by experience or training toevaluate the programs and proposals under review andshould include at least one individual from each of thefollowing categories (no individual category should beover-represented):1• A scientist who has experience in agriculturalresearch or teaching involving agriculturalanimals;• An animal, dairy, or poultry scientist who hastraining and experience in the management ofagricultural animals;• A veterinarian who has training andexperience in agricultural animal medicine andwho is licensed or eligible to be licensed topractice veterinary medicine;• A person whose primary concerns are in anarea outside of science (e.g., a faculty memberfrom a nonscience department, a staff member,a student, a member of the clergy, or aninstitutional administrator);• A person who is not affiliated with theinstitution and who is not a family memberof an individual affiliated with the institution.This public member is intended to providerepresentation for general community interestsin the proper care and treatment of animalsand should not be a person who uses animalsin agricultural or biomedical research orteaching activities at the college or universitylevel; and• Other members as required by institutionalneeds and applicable laws, regulations, andpolicies.Because of experience and training, however, oneindividual may adequately fulfill more than a singlerole on the IACUC, but the committee should not havefewer than 5 members. It is strongly recommended thatthis committee be one that also monitors the care anduse of laboratory animals at the institution, providingthat the special membership requirements outlinedabove are met. This recommendation can be fulfilled byseveral different types of committee structures, includinga single institutional committee, unit committees(e.g., departmental, college, or program) that reviewagricultural as well as biomedical uses of animals. Theoverriding goal should be to facilitate centralized, uniform,and high-quality oversight of the institution’s animalcare program.