University of Wisconsin-Madison

Policy Number: 1997-001 [PDF]

Adoption Date: 12/20/1996

Effective Date: 12/19/1997

Expiration Date: ongoing

Review Date: as needed

“Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals” (1996) and “Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching” (1999) as Adopted Standards.

Purpose: The purpose of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide), which includes the "AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia" (formerly "Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia"), and the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching (Ag Guide) is to help institutions care for and use animals in ways judged to be scientifically, technically, and humanely appropriate. Further, the Guide and Ag Guide are intended to help investigators fulfill their obligations to plan and conduct animal experiments in accord with the highest scientific, humane, and ethical principles. The Guide and the Ag Guide define the minimum standards for appropriate care and use of animals that the University of Wisconsin-Madison assures many of the funding sources, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Public Health Service (PHS), that we follow. Without such an assurance, those funding sources cannot provide research dollars.

Policy: The UW All Campus Animal Care and Use Committee requires all Animal Care and Use Committees (ACUCs) to use the current "Guide" and "Ag Guide" as the minimal standards of care for all laboratory and agricultural animals under the jurisdiction of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Investigators should seek guidance from either a research animal veterinarian and/or the ACUC as to which of the two Guides apply.

Prepared by: R. Lane, H.McEntee

Reference Minutes: 12/20/96, 07/11/00, 11/2/07