205 Administration Building
1 University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Office: (479) 575-5901
Fax: (479) 575-3846
research@uark.edu
Live, Vertebrate Animals as Research Subjects (IACUC)
The University of Arkansas endorses and supports the responsible use of animals in research and teaching. Its Vertebrate Animals policy is designed to ensure that animals are used in a humane, productive, and responsible fashion. Faculty, staff, and students must comply with all applicable provisions of the Animal Welfare Act and other Federal statutes and regulations relating to the use of live vertebrate animals in research and teaching.
Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC)
The IACUC is charged with monitoring adherence the University's Policy on Animal Care and Use and federal and state statutes and regulations. All research or teaching using live vertebrate animals must have prior, written approval of an Vertebrate Animals Protocol. Vertebrate Animals Protocols are not required for agricultural teaching applications involving the non-stressful observation of farm animals, demonstration of judging techniques, demonstration of accepted farm management practices, or normal use of farm animals in production.
Meetings
The IACUC ordinarily meets on the first Friday of each month. Investigators are not expected to attend the meeting unless specifically requested to do so. Since the IACUC cannot approve protocols without a quorum of the voting members present, meetings are occasionally rescheduled. Contact the IACUC Program Manager, to confirm a meeting date.
Deadlines
Protocols must be received at least seven (7) working days prior to the meeting.
Protocol Submission
Investigators should submit both a signed hard copy and an electronic copy to the IACUC Program Manager.
- IACUC Protocol Forms (updated 08/06/2012)
- Request for Modification to Approved Vertebrate Animals Protocol (updated 03/04/2009)
- Prevent or Minimize Delays in Protocol Approval
Membership
Training
Laboratory Animal Training Association Online Training Program
This is a secure website. Please contact Carol Rodlun for a username and password which will allow you to log in.
New protocols will not be reviewed by the IACUC until the Principal Investigator and all individuals engaged in the research, care and/or handling of animals complete two base modules. The required modules are The Humane Use of Laboratory Animals Module and the Policies and Procedures Module. These modules must be accessed via web interface and will take about 30 minutes each to complete. Investigators, staff and student are not charged for this training. All costs are paid by the Office of Research Support and Sponsored Programs and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences.
You will receive immediate notification that you have completed the module(s). You are advised to print and save all notifications. The IACUC Program Manager will be informed automatically of all completions so you do not need to notify the IACUC of completion.
Several optional modules are available, e.g. animal care and handling, surgical procedures and other techniques specific to animal species used in research. You are encouraged to complete as many modules as you wish even though completion of just the two basic modules is mandatory at this time.
Newcastle University Procedures with Care Website
- Administration of Substances: A series of tutorials to assist research workers develop their skills in the administration of substances to laboratory rodents. Videos include, for example, handling and restraint, oral gavage, IP, IM, and SC injection.
- Aseptic Technique in Rodent Surgery: A comprehensive guide to help research workers apply best practice in aseptic surgical techniques in laboratory rodents.
Reporting Concerns About the Care and Use of Live, Vertebrate Animals
Any individual who has specific concerns that animals are not being used in a humane and responsible manner by University faculty, staff, or students is encouraged to report such concerns to any member of the IACUC Program Staff. The IACUC Chair, or other members of the IACUC appointed by the Chair, will investigate. If deficiencies are found, the IACUC will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure compliance with the federal and state regulations and the University's policy on the care and use of research animals.
Regulatory Agencies
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Animal Welfare, US Department of Agriculture
- Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), US Public Health Service
- US Food and Drug Administration
Regulations
- Animal Welfare Act (7 USC §§ 2131 et seq.)
- USDA APHIS Animal Welfare Regulations (9 CFR 1-3.142)
- Health Research Extension Act of 1985
- Good Laboratory Practice Act (Food and Drug Administration - Animal Care & Facilities 58.43, 58.45, and 58.90)
- Controlled Substances Act (Food and Drug Administration)
Policies and Principles
- Policy on Animal Care and Use for the University of Arkansas Fayetteville
- UA Assurance of Compliance with Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (#A3878-01), Expiration Date 02/28/2014.
- Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (HTML, PDF - 282 KB)
- U. S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training
- Guide to the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
- USDA/APHIS Animal Care Policies
- Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching, 3rd Edition, 2010 (FASS)
- Field Studies
- For mammals: Guidelines of The American Society of Mammalogists For The Use of Wild Mammals In Research, Journal of Mammalogy, Volume 88, Issue 3 pp. 809-823, 2007.
- For birds:Guidelines to the Use of Wild Birds in Research, The Ornithological Council, Washington, DC, 3rd ed., 2010
- For amphibians and reptiles: Guidelines for the use of live amphibians and reptiles in field research. Joint publication of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, The Herpetologists' League, and Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 2nd Ed., 2004.
- For fishes: Guidelines for the use of fishes in field research. Joint publication of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, American Fisheries Society, and American Institute of Fisheries Research Biologists. Fisheries, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 16-23, 1988
- AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition
Resources for Investigators
- What NIH investigators need to know about Vertebrate Animals.
- Searching for alternatives to the use of laboratory animals.
- Identifying diseases of select laboratory animals. (Note: The IACUC Program Manager or IACUC Veterinarian must be notified immediately if an animal is showing signs of illness.)
- ILAR Journal Use of farm animals in biomedical research.
- Importing animals and animal products
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife agency permits
Resources for IACUC Members
Departures from the Guide
Contact IACUC Program Staff
| IACUC Program Manager/CLAF Manager | Carol Rodlun | AFLS A-42, (479) 575-2994, crodlun@uark.edu |
| IACUC Veterinarian | John W. Hahn, DVM | AFLS A-42, (479) 575-2994, jwhahn@uark.edu |
| IACUC Chair | Craig Coon, Ph.D. | POSC O-211, (479) 575-4134, ccoon@uark.edu |
| Director, Research Compliance | Rosemary H. Ruff | OZAR-120, (479) 575-4572, rruff@uark.edu |