LAR Standard Operating Procedures
Animal Procurement
Last updated: December 7, 2011
I. Purpose
The majority of animals procured by UM are from commercial vendors supplying SPF-quality animals. LAR maintains a list of “preferred vendors” that have been evaluated and approved by the AV. Vendor-supplied health status reports are reviewed regularly by the AV and animals ordered from these preferred vendors do not require pre-approval relative to health status. Some in-house breeding occurs, under approved AUPs.
When procuring animals from unapproved vendors, predominantly mice but may include naked mole rats, dwarf hamsters and zebrafish, from other academic institutions, the LAR/AV require information about the genetic and pathogen status of the animals in question. The institutions are obliged to provide pertinent information, such as pathogen antibody serology results and parasite screens, prior to an animal shipment. The AV reviews all animal health records in advance of approving shipments of animals. Additional testing, extended quarantine, or rederivation may be requested depending on animal health histories, or importation may be rejected.
Mice and rats from a non-preferred vendor are placed into quarantine in isolation cubicles and are examined within 48 hr after arrival for ecto- and endoparasites and a PCR swab taken for detection of fur mite DNA. At the end of 6-weeks quarantine, a PCR swab is taken for fur mite DNA and blood is drawn for pathogen antibody serology analysis. PCR and serology is conducted by IDEXX-RADIL.
Other species, including conventional health status sheep,
Xenopus, and
Betta splendens (purchased through a local pet store) are evaluated by visual examination and/or through health reports, dependent on the nature and extent of available health status information
.
II. Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the LAR Staff to accept animals from carriers, to do the required paperwork and filing, and to let the investigator(s) know their animals have arrived.
III. Procedure
- Sign for the animals from City Transfer or another delivery service.
- Write name of investigators on the delivery receipt.
- Put receipt in supervisor's box.
- Record species, number of animals, date, company and investigator in Transportation Log (Health Science Office)
- Find the copy of the order form on Ordering Clipboard (Health Science Office)
- Make sure it matches the animals received.
- File in "Animal Order Forms Received" file in cabinet of Health Science Office.
- Locate Packing Slip on the animal boxes received.
- Make sure it matches the order form and what was received.
- Place top copy (white) in supervisor's box and bottom (pink) copy in "Packing Slip" File (Health Science Building).
- Place Health Records in "Animal Health Certificate" file (Health Science Building), if applicable.
- USDA animal health records are placed in USDA Records notebook and species-specific animal health records notebook.
- Call investigator(s) to let them know animal has arrived and record phone call in phone log.
- Unpack animals using the SOP for "Unpacking Shipping Containers of Live Animals".
