Institutional Animal Care

Inspections of Facilities & Programs

In order to comply with USDA regulations and NIH PHS Policy for the use of animals in research, the IACUC must review the animal care program and inspect animal facilities and animal study areas at least every six months. These inspections review regular housing facilities, satellite facilities, PI research labs, central core procedure rooms (e.g. imaging modality rooms), and transport vehicles where animals are housed and used.

IACUC Program Review

An IACUC Program Review is a comprehensive evaluation conducted by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to assess the overall effectiveness and compliance of the animal care and use program.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the program review is to ensure that the University of South Florida’s (USF) animal research program operates in accordance with ethical principles, regulatory requirements, and institutional policies.

Scope

The review encompasses various aspects of the animal care and use program, including but not limited to:

  • Facility Infrastructure and Resources: Evaluating the adequacy and maintenance of facilities and resources.
  • Animal Housing and Husbandry Practices: Assessing the conditions and practices for housing and caring for animals.
  • Protocol Review and Approval Processes: Reviewing the procedures for protocol submission, review, and approval.
  • Training and Education Programs for Personnel: Ensuring that all personnel involved in animal care and use are properly trained and educated.
  • Compliance with Applicable Laws, Regulations, and Guidelines: Verifying adherence to all relevant laws, regulations, and guidelines. 

Inspections will ensure:

  • Animal and personnel safety
  • General laboratory maintenance (safe/clean lab areas for animal use)
  • The housing and study area meets Guide standards based on procedures being performed
  • The IACUC has approved all procedures conducted, agents administered, and rooms in use
  • Euthanasia methods are in accordance with the IACUC protocol and AVMA Guidelines
  • All individuals working with animals are listed as Study Personnel on the approved IACUC protocols/studies
  • All individuals working with animals are qualified and have completed all training requirements

The Inspection Team

The site visit team is composed of at least two members of the IACUC, one of which will be a USF veterinarian. Site visitors will ask questions about animal use as it relates to each project. Site visitors will review:

  • Procedures performed
  • Record keeping (Drug Logs, Anesthesia/Surgery Records, Satellite Housing Records)
  • Agent use and storage
  • Survival surgery areas and other animal use areas
  • Aseptic technique
  • Posted signs (e.g., Reporting Deficiencies, Not for Human Consumption, etc.)
  • Clean and safe areas for use of animals, in date (e.g., therapeutic drugs, anesthesia, analgesia, food, etc.), supplies etc. and any other items or information deemed pertinent to animal welfare and facility compliance

Inspection Preparation

The IACUC Office has created a Semiannual Facility Inspection form/checklist used by IACUC members and additional resource to help laboratories prepare for inspections. Laboratories should also review previous findings to ensure that all items have been resolved and individuals have been trained to prevent recurrence.

Having a knowledgeable representative or representatives available during the laboratory inspection greatly enhances the inspection process/outcomes. The representative(s) should be knowledgeable of all animal activities conducted in your laboratory, able to provide the site visitors with access to your areas of use and be prepared to address any questions the site visitors may have.

The items listed below are commonly cited findings observed during semiannual inspections of labs. They do not present a comprehensive list of requirements for animal use. Animal users are required to follow all relevant standards, including the Animal Welfare Act Regulations, Public Health Service Policy, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: Eighth Edition and their IACUC approved protocol.

Satellite Facility Requirements

This information outlines the requirements and expectations of the USF IACUC regarding satellite facilities. While the IACUC recommends the use of centralized animal housing whenever possible, there may be research or circumstances that require the use of a satellite facility when justified to and approved by the IACUC.

A satellite facility is a location outside of a USF or its affiliated institutions managed vivarium where animals are housed or held for more than 12 hours.

Satellite facilities are overseen by the Principal Investigator (PI) and research staff and not generally managed or maintained by USF Comparative Medicine staff.

Approved satellite facilities are expected to comply with the same federal regulations and IACUC policies as a centrally managed animal facility. For rodent activity, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (8th Ed.) should be followed.

Once approved, the satellite facility and any supporting areas will be inspected on a semiannual basis by the IACUC, and routine veterinary oversight of the animals will be established with the Attending Veterinarian (AV) and/or veterinary staff.  

Requirements for Satellite Facility

  1. USF Comparative Medicine Veterinarian should be contacted prior to submitting an application for the satellite facility to be sure the area meets the minimum requirements and is able to be used for the proposed purpose.  

  2. A proposed satellite facility must be approved by the IACUC prior to animals being housed there.

  3. Once approved, it is the responsibility of the PI to meet all regulatory standards (environmental standards, water parameters, diurnal light cycles, daily husbandry care, health checks) and biosecurity requirements (PPE, access to site, etc.).

  4. If animals are to be moved from the vivarium to the satellite location, all applicable USF Comparative Medicine transfer relocation forms should be filled out and submitted to the appropriate personnel for review and approval.

  5. The environmental temperature and humidity of the site must be within standards set forth by The Guide as appropriate for the species. Every 3 years, or if issues arise, the site should be reevaluated for proper air exchanges and balancing.  

  6. A member of the laboratory staff must check on animals and provide care daily (including weekends, holidays, university closure) and this must be documented daily, along with recording of the census and environmental parameters if animals reside in the space. See Comparative Medicine Animal Medical Recordkeeping forms.

  7. It is recommended that the housing area have a mechanism of remote monitoring in place such that if extreme temperatures were encountered a responsible individual would be contacted/alerted so that appropriate steps could be taken.  

  8. USF Comparative Medicine has established standard operating procedures (SOPs) for husbandry care used in the centrally managed spaces. These SOPs should be followed in the satellite housing spaces or specific SOPs should be developed for the site and species, and IACUC approved.

  9. The animals(s) and enclosure(s) must always be identified. Identification (ID) cards must contain, at least, the protocol number, species, and PI.  

  10. Adequate quantities of the following must be properly maintained if animals are residing in the space: clean cages, bedding, enrichment, feed, water, PPE, and any equipment needed for room cleaning/sanitation.  

  11. All bedding, feed, water, and any substance administered to the animal(s) must be stored appropriately (i.e., in vermin proof containers, stored at proper temperature/humidity).  

  12. The AV and other veterinary staff must have access to the satellite area. The veterinary staff must be contacted when animals move into the satellite housing location.  

  13. All staff involved with the satellite facility must be aware of how to contact the veterinary staff in the event of a health concern or emergency. Veterinary contact information should be posted in the satellite housing location.
     
  14. The veterinary staff must be contacted prior to initiating any clinically necessary treatment.

  15. Instructions on how to report animal welfare concerns must be posted on all housing locations (CMSC 009).

  16. The PI/laboratory staff must follow their satellite Disaster Plan as described in the following form.

  17. All staff responsible for the care of animals within the satellite space must be adequately trained by the PI, listed on approved IACUC protocol, and screened/enrolled in the USF occupational health and safety plan. Personnel involved in the day-to-day operations of the satellite facility may contact USF Comparative Medicine for additional training.

Scheduling

The USF IACUC office staff plan, schedule, and coordinate all IACUC semiannual inspections and communicate the inspection schedule and results to PIs and facility managers. Each Fall (October) and Spring (April), the IACUC office contacts Principal Investigators and sets a tentative date and time for the inspection. They send email notifications of upcoming inspections approximately two to four weeks prior to the inspection.

Someone knowledgeable about the facility/laboratory and the procedures involving live animals must be present to allow the team access and to answer questions. For facilities/vivariums, the representative may be the facility manager or a knowledgeable designee. For laboratories, the representative may be the PI, the lab manager or a knowledgeable designee.

Given the nature of the inspection process it is not possible to give each lab group an exact arrival time, however, the IACUC will try to accommodate special scheduling requests. If you have time constraints, please respond to the notification email promptly to make suitable arrangements.

Note: The list of laboratory locations is generated directly from proposals. It is important that researchers review proposals to ensure that all locations are correct. If corrections need to be made, please notify the IACUC office promptly and submit a modification in ARC eIACUC to amend your study sites, as necessary.

Deficiency Findings Notifications

Investigators will be notified of the inspection findings via email within two to three working weeks of the inspection. Each deficiency must be corrected by the date specified in the report, however extensions may be requested from the IACUC. 

Resources