Guidance Document for Policy UW-4087, Restraint
Training for Personnel
- Formal training required
- Proficiency must be demonstrated
- Training must include practice putting animal in and taking animal out of restraint device
Devices
- Must be species-appropriate, safe, and in good working order
- Restraint tubes
- Slings
- Chairs
- Should meet stated objectives (e.g., prevent chewing of catheters)
- Should be easily sanitizable between uses
Animal selection
- Criteria for selection must be included in IACUC approved protocol, including:
- Age
- Health status
- Temperament
- Response to acclimation
Acclimation
- Must be described in IACUC approved protocol
- Should be gradual, with restraint increasing incrementally
- Animal should be monitored continuously
- Acclimation procedures should be documented
- Detailed SOP is recommended
Monitoring
- Must be described in IACUC approved protocol, including frequency and duration
- Must be continuous if animal could harm itself or interfere with data collection
- Must be documented
- Can be indirect (e.g., via camera) but must be in real time
Special restraint considerations
- Greater than 12 hours
- Restraint for longer than 12 hours requires additional IACUC scrutiny, including justification especially focused on why other options are not viable
- Animals should be released from restraint at least once every 12 hours, unless the IACUC and the Attending Veterinarian agree it would be unwise for safety reasons
- Continuous monitoring is required for such extended restraint (> 12 hours)
- Greater than 4 hours
- Consider:
- Hygiene
- Food and water
- Environmental enrichment:
- Conspecifics
- Human companion, depending on species
- Music or video
- Research task or tests can be enriching
- Consider:
Complications
- Small abrasions
- Swelling
- Decrease in food and water intake after restraint
- Research-related adverse events
The research animal veterinarian always has the authority and responsibility to terminate a procedure involving restraint if there are complications