Share thisProcuring research animals is an important job function. Several factors are included in animal ordering such as vendor selection, availability, strain characteristics, and transportation. Managers, veterinarians, animal welfare specialists, scientists, funding agencies, and other individuals or groups may be involved in the process of animal vendor selection. Many institutions designate only one or two people to actually perform the animal ordering task, but they do so with the input of those just mentioned.
Ordering animals other than mice or rats can pose additional challenges. The availability of animals in certain age and/or weight ranges may be limited, transportation routes may be changed or removed with little or no notice, and certain behavioral characteristics should be selected for at the vendor’s facility. In this article, I hope to provide the reader with some insights that can help researchers and procurement specialists work with Class A vendors of larger research animals (more specifically: dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, and guinea pigs).
Vendor Selection
Larger animal species are not raised in the full barrier environments associated with specific pathogen free (SPF) mice and rats that we have all grown accustomed to. In fact, there is a great variety of housing and rearing systems used for purpose bred dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs in research. Therefore, careful thought must be put into the selection of these vendors.
A visit to the vendor’s facility is usually in order. Aspects of these visits include reviews of the physical maintenance of the facility, breeding schemes, vaccination schedules and other prophylactic treatments, health monitoring procedures, sanitation procedures, transportation processes and equipment, and regulatory compliance. Many states now require state registration of dog breeders in addition to the standard Class A Breeder license issued by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). These facilities must follow both federal and state regulations, and may have inspections from multiple regulatory authorities the reports of which should be reviewed during a visit. (See related article, “The Animal Welfare Audit,” ALN Magazine, October 2008).
When visiting a vendor’s facility, it is important to assess the animals’ behavior and staff interaction. These qualities are often intangible and cannot be described in written procedures, but can make the difference when it comes to the animal’s behavior when delivered to a research facility.
After visiting a facility, evaluating a facility’s procedures and records, and assessing its commitment to animal welfare and regulatory compliance, a decision will usually be made at that time whether or not the facility is an acceptable vendor to order animals from. Some organizations may forgo a facility visit in lieu of accreditation by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of LaboratoryAnimal Care, International (AAALAC) or other certification, and allow animal purchases from any vendor who is accredited/certified with no further evaluation. Larger institutions generally want a signed contract and/or Master Service Agreement (MSA) in place prior to initiating animal orders and this may include price negotiation and other service parameters that the vendor is obliged to uphold.