Wildlife Waiver 

Projects involving invertebrates (except cephalopods*): U.S. federal animal welfare regulations (United States Department of Agriculture Animal Welfare Act; Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals) do not currently require any IACUC oversight or review of invertebrate research. Neither a protocol nor a waiver is needed if your proposed work exclusively involves invertebrate species, e.g., insects, crustaceans, etc. Some publications may ask for verification of this exemption, and RARC can provide verification letters on request.

Please email iacuc@rarc.wisc.edu with the following information to request a verification letter:

• The name of the project
• The names and home institutions of the project leaders
• A description of your lab's involvement in the project and why you believe it may be eligible to be exempt from review. Examples include:
• Exclusively involves invertebrate species
• Use of cadavers or tissue samples not specifically collected for the project
• Analysis of pre-existing data

Please note: IACUC-exempt studies involving tissue samples or field work may still need a Biosafety protocol or other Safety assessment. Please see https://ehs.wisc.edu/labs-research/animal-research-safety/ for contacts who can advise you.

*Projects involving cephalopods are not covered by U.S. regulations, but AAALAC and some publishers do require some institutional oversight. AAALAC FAQ on Invertebrates: https://www.aaalac.org/accreditation-program/faqs/#A2 UW Madison has established a committee to provide voluntary assistance to researchers using invertebrate animals. PIs have access to assistance from RARC including veterinary consultations, advice on regulations, and help with recordkeeping. Send inquiries to iacuc@rarc.wisc.edu.

Projects involving vertebrate wildlife species: please refer to this flowchart to help determine the best option:

To submit an application for a Wildlife Waiver/Field Study Status, please download and complete this fillable PDF.

Please be prepared to include a brief outline, in layman’s terms, of the proposed study, including:

• The study objectives
• Any habitat manipulation, e.g., baiting, fencing
• Timing/frequency/duration/periodicity of study activities, including seasonality
• Method of data collection
• Any animal interactions with investigators
• Any potential to impact non-target species

Please email the completed PDF to iacuc@rarc.wisc.edu

The form will be reviewed by an IACUC subcommittee consisting of the Attending Veterinarian and Animal Research Safety Manager, who may reach out to you if they have any additional questions. You will be notified of their determination via email.

If the waiver/field study status request is granted, you may proceed with the project without any additional IACUC oversight with the understanding that any changes to the described work will require reevaluation of the study. Veterinary consultation is always available to you if you have questions as your project evolves. RARC and EH&S resources are also available to you, even without a formal protocol form on file.