Regulations and Standards

AAALAC PUBLISHES NEW POSITION STATEMENTS AND FAQs
In July 2011, AAALAC International published new and revised positions statements in the “Accreditation” section of its website.¹ AAALAC has modified these position statements to reflect changes in the 2011 Guide. AAALAC’s Council on Accreditation will use these and its other position statements to evaluate and accredit animal care and use programs. These new position statements and FAQs will help investigators and institutions handle the requirements of the new Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide), and may even influence its final language before NIH will accept it.

Below, we quote the new and revised position statements of AAALAC, and two of its new FAQs.^2,3These and the remaining position statements and FAQs of AAALAC are available at www.aaalac.org.

Definition of Laboratory Animals (Revised)
AAALAC International defines “laboratory animals” as any live vertebrate animal (and any other animal designated by applicable legislation) used or intended for use in research, testing, or teaching. For accreditation purposes, the definition is not limited by the type of housing enclosure (e.g., cage, pen, paddock, pasture, tank, raceway, etc.). All such animals owned by the accreditable unit are to be included in the Program Description and will be evaluated by AAALAC International.

The Attending Veterinarian and Veterinary Care (Revised)
The animal care and use program is the collaborative responsibility of the Institutional Official, the Attending Veterinarian, and the IACUC (or comparable oversight body). The Attending Veterinarian is responsible for the well-being and clinical care of animals used in research, testing, teaching, and production. This responsibility extends to monitoring and promoting animal well-being at all times during animal use, and during all phases of the animal’s life. It is expected that the program of veterinary care will uphold the highest standards of care and ethics. Moreover, the veterinarian must have sufficient authority, as provided by the institution, to treat an animal and institute appropriate measures to relieve severe pain or distress, including euthanasia. In fulfilling these duties in a research environment, the Attending Veterinarian should interact collaboratively with the research team (e.g., the Principal Investigator or Study Director) when making critical decisions regarding animal health and welfare. The Attending Veterinarian must have adequate resources to manage the overall program of veterinary care. AAALAC acknowledges that other qualified individuals may assume some of the roles and responsibilities of the Attending Veterinarian, under the oversight of the Attending Veterinarian. Important aspects of the role of the Attending Veterinarian and the program of veterinary care typically include the following:

• Veterinarians providing clinical and/or program oversight and support must have experience, training, and expertise necessary to appropriately evaluate the health and well-being of the species used, in the context of the animal use being carried out by the institution.
• The Attending Veterinarian must have access to all animals.
• There must be timely provision of veterinary medical care, and emergency veterinary care must be available at all times, including after work hours, on weekends, and on holidays.
• The Attending Veterinarian must have oversight of additional aspects of the veterinary care program, such as preventative medicine and health surveillance, medical treatment, establishment of sedation, anesthetic and analgesic guidelines, handling, and immobilization, and should have oversight of other related aspects such as housing and husbandry.
• The Attending Veterinarian should provide guidance and oversight to surgery programs and perioperative care.
• Professional veterinary staff should remain knowledgeable about the latest practices and procedures to ensure that high quality care is provided to animals.
• If there is no full-time Attending Veterinarian on-site, there must be a designated person who is responsible for daily animal care and use and facility management.