Transfer of Animals to the Holding Protocol
Overview
Federal regulations require the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to review and approve all activities involving the use of animals. All animals maintained by The Ohio State University must be covered by an active animal use protocol, approved by the IACUC. Typically, approved protocols will be in the name of the PI who is directing the work. Occasionally, situations arise in which this is not possible and/or appropriate. The animal use protocol titled IACUC Animal Holding Protocol was established to temporarily house animals when these circumstances arise.
The use of the Animal Holding Protocol is limited to housing and maintenance only. No experimental intervention may occur. Time sensitive procedures may be completed relating to animal identification, tissue collection for genotyping of genetically engineered animals and maintenance of breeding colonies when delay could result in the loss of a line. Animals are not allowed to be removed for tissue collection while on the holding protocol as this is considered an experimental intervention.
Situations for use of the Animal Holding Protocol
- Animals originating from terminated protocols when approval of a renewal protocol is likely imminent. This prevents euthanasia of valuable research animals, while remaining in compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Animals on a protocol under investigation by the IACUC for potential non-compliance when the welfare or well-being of the animals is in question.
- Animals requiring immediate housing at OSU for new investigators without an approved IACUC protocol. It is expected that a protocol will be submitted within a month of arrival of animals.
- Investigators leaving OSU that do not yet have approvals to transfer animals to a new institution.
- NOTE: Animals cannot be ordered and placed directly onto the holding protocol without the approval of the IACUC Chair.
Process for the transfer of animals from an expiring protocol to the IACUC Holding Protocol
- It is the responsibility of the PI to provide any renewal animal protocols to the IACUC office in a timely manner to ensure adequate time for the review process. The IACUC office will remind investigators of upcoming review requirements. Thus, need to transfer animals from an expiring protocol to the holding protocol should be a rare event and should only be for a short time period.
- Approval of the IACUC Chair is required for animals to be transferred from an expiring protocol to the holding protocol. The following information must be provided:
- Explanation of why a renewal protocol has not been submitted on time
- Estimated date when a renewal protocol will likely be approved
- Assurance that no experimental work will be done on animals on the holding protocol (euthanasia of animals for collection of tissues to be analyzed is considered experimental work)
- Provision of an account not funded by NIH to which per diem charges will be billed (Costs associated with animal care for animals not on a regular animal use protocol are not allowed by the NIH)
- A notice will be placed on a door when the room contains animals on the holding protocol. This will ensure that all staff recognizes that these animals may not be used in any way, only maintained.
- Access to animals housed under the Animal Holding Protocol will be limited to ULAR staff. All animals will be housed in the ULAR vivaria; no outside housing will be permitted unless the species cannot be housed in a vivarium. Investigators and designees will be allowed access only under the discretion of the IACUC Chair and supervision of ULAR.
- Payment of per diem charges for animals on the Animal Holding Protocol will be the responsibility of the investigator. ULAR will assume responsibility for routine maintenance, husbandry and veterinary care of the animals. NOTE: Projects being funded by NIH can not use funds from these grants to pay for per diem rates when animals are on the holding protocol. The PI will need to provide ULAR an updated billing number.
- All veterinary treatment and euthanasia will be at the discretion of the ULAR veterinarian and performed by ULAR staff.
- Animals will be transferred from the Animal Holding Protocol only when an IACUC approved investigator protocol can be identified or the animals are transferred to another institution.
- Costs to ULAR for transferring animals to and from the holding protocol will be billed to the PI.
