Maintaining Animals

Standards of Care

Standards of care of research animals and other practices of the DAR are defined in detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs). The archive of SOPs is maintained securely on the DAR web site ordinarily only available to DAR employees. Research and compliance personnel may obtain access to and receive copies of SOPs by request from the DAR. Standardization of procedures enables DAR to use best practices, strive for consistency in care, minimize environmental variability, and contain costs.

Deviations from Standards of Care

Divergence from DAR standards of care for research purposes must be reviewed and approved by the IACUC. Deviations from DAR care standards and/or SOP are considered to represent independent research variables, equivalent to experimental manipulations, and thereby are an obligation of the lab to manage, including any related financial ramifications. Examples of deviations from standards of care, while not representing an exhaustive list, include providing medicated or fortified water, using special or different feeds or bedding, sanitation practices of a greater intensity or frequency, utilizing different types of water bottles or caging, delivering enhanced environmental enrichment beyond that prescribed by the IACUC, and renovations or facility modifications to enable special types of lighting or sound or light-tight housing.