Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals - Office of ...

PhySICAL PLANT 135controls in multiple sites. Duplicate equipment (e.g., cage washers) maybe needed, or soiled materials may need to be moved distances for processing.But decentralization may be preferred for certain specializedresearch services such as imaging, quarantine, and proximity to researchfacilities, or for biosecurity reasons. Decentralization may be necessary toaccommodate large or complex equipment, such as magnetic resonanceimaging, or to permit space sharing by users from multiple facilities orinstitutions. The opportunity for exposure to disease agents is much greaterin these situations and special consideration should be given to biosecurity,including transportation to and from the site, quarantine before orafter use of the specialized research area, and environmental and equipmentdecontamination.The decisions leading to selection of physically centralized versusdecentralized animal facilities should be made early and carefully andshould involve all stakeholders (NRC 1996; Ruys 1991).FUNCTIONAL AREASProfessional judgment should be exercised in the development of apractical, functional, and efficient physical plant for animal care and use.The size, nature, and intensity of an institutional Program (see Chapter 2)will determine the specific facility and support functions needed. In facilitiesthat are small, maintain few animals, or maintain animals under specialconditions—such as facilities used exclusively for housing gnotobiotic orspecific pathogen-free (SPF) colonies or animals in runs, pens, or outdoorhousing—some functional areas listed below may be unnecessary or maybe included in a multipurpose area.Space is required for the following:• animal housing, care, and sanitation• receipt, quarantine, separation, and/or rederivation of animals• separation of species or isolation of individual projects whennecessary• storage.Most multipurpose animal facilities may also include the following:• specialized laboratories or space contiguous with or near animalhousing areas for such activities as surgery, intensive care,necropsy, irradiation, preparation of special diets, experimentalprocedures, behavioral testing, imaging, clinical treatment, anddiagnostic laboratory procedures