Animal Resources Facilities
The Animal Care and Use program encompasses a wide variety of species including rodents, small mammals, agricultural species, aquatics, and wildlife utilized in research or teaching activities. Animals are housed following the standards of the current version of the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching, commonly known as the Ag Guide. Housing standards are based on the Animal Welfare Act and Regulations and are applied to regulated species. Housing practices for aquatics, reptiles, and wildlife species are also based on the professional judgement of ARCD veterinarians, managers, supervisors, principal investigators’ experience and professional judgement, and published references.
Animals are fed a species appropriate, nutritionally balanced commercially available diet. Custom diets specific to the research objectives may also be utilized. Water is provided ad libitum. Compatible animals are socially housed, and enrichment is provided to promote species typical behavior and animal well-being.
Most research animals, primarily rodents and purpose bred mice, are housed in Animal Resource Care Division (ARCD) managed facilities. Most rodents are housed in individually ventilated caging (IVC) systems with water provided by an automated delivery system. Animal rooms are designated as “barrier” or “bring back” rooms. Most animals are housed in barrier rooms and are not permitted to return if they leave the barrier. Bring back rooms allow animals to leave the barrier for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee’s (IACUC) approved procedures then return to the vivarium for animal housing.
Rooms are also classified by animal biosafety level (ABSL) in accordance with the current edition of the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL). ABSL1 and ABSL2 activities can be accommodated in all ARCD managed facilities. A limited amount of ABSL3 space is available in one facility.
Animal housing and procedure space is managed and allocated by the facility supervisor based on project need, space availability, resources, and other considerations. Facility access is restricted to individuals that require access to perform their daily responsibilities. Non-ARCD personnel must be listed on an IACUC approved protocol and attend an orientation session prior to receiving access. Access requests are submitted to the ARCD facility manager or supervisor.
An ARCD supervisor and veterinarian provide oversight to the daily operations and provision of veterinary care at each facility. All animal care technicians report to the facility supervisor. All facility supervisors report to the ARCD animal care and operations associate director. The associate director and all ARCD veterinarians report to the ARCD director who also serves as the attending veterinarian.
Animal housing and related activities that cannot be accommodated in ARCD managed facilities may be done in college, departmental, or investigator managed satellite areas with IACUC approval. Examples include facilities managed by the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, agricultural areas managed by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, wildlife facilities managed by the College of Natural Resources and Environment, and some investigator managed areas.