Policy on Obtaining Animals from Non-approved Sources

Animals arriving from facilities other than approved commercial sources may not meet the health standards that this facility sets. For this reason, animals must be obtained from approved commercial vendors if available from them. Investigators are asked to verify that the animals required cannot be obtained from an approved source before submitting a request to obtain them from a non-routine vendor. A list of approved vendors is available from the Animal Ordering and Receiving Clerk.

Rodents acquired from other universities or institutions may not have as comprehensive health histories and pathogen testing as performed by our approved vendors. Such rodents pose a potential threat to our specific pathogen free (SPF) colonies. Health information about animals requested from non-routine vendors will be evaluated by a DLAM veterinarian. Criteria for approval include the presence of a colony health surveillance program and a negative history of pathogens that are excluded from this institution. If pathogens have ever been detected in the room housing the requested animals, they must have been eliminated by the same means as an approved vendor would use (i.e., depopulation/rederivation).

Non-routine source animals that are destined for chronic housing at this university must undergo a quarantine period before coming in contact with established SPF colonies. Screening tests will be performed before the animals may be housed with resident populations. Rodents may be bred once during the quarantine period, but will not be released for experimental use until test results demonstrate that the health status of these animals equals that of the resident populations.

Animals requested for acute use may be accepted at this facility even if their health history does not match that from a commercial source. In this case, the animals will remain in a quarantine room throughout their stay here, which will be brief, usually less than two weeks. Their manipulation/sacrifice must be done in a way that will not threaten the health of resident animal populations. The DLAM veterinarians will work with investigators to determine if/how animals requested for acute use can be safely acquired and utilized.