Attending Veterinarian & Veterinary Care Policy

UAF Policy 10.07.091

Original Adoption: January 28, 2013

Revised: May 23, 2024

Responsible Chancellor’s Cabinet Member: Vice Chancellor for Research

Responsible Department/Office: Animal Resources Center

Download signed policy (PDF)

POLICY STATEMENT

The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Attending Veterinarian (AV) is responsible for the health and well-being of all animals used by the institution. To fulfill this mission, the AV oversees the UAF Animal Resources Center (ARC) and has the direct authority to ensure the adequacy of animal care and use by UAF, irrespective of unit or departmental management, purpose, or funding. The AV reports directly to the designated Institutional Official (IO) and is a voting member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

BACKGROUND & JUSTIFICATION

Adequate veterinary care is an essential component of an animal care and use program and is required by the Animal Welfare Regulations (AWRs) and Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The importance of adequate veterinary care is also emphasized in animal research guidelines and policies promulgated by scientific organizations.

It is the responsibility of UAF to support a comprehensive animal care and use program that ensures the health and well-being of all animals used by the institution. Clear provisions have been made at UAF to give the AV appropriate authority to execute a program of adequate veterinary care, including access to all animals.

DEFINITIONS

Adequate Veterinary Care: UAF follows the requirements set forth under 9 CFR 2.33 in the Animal Welfare Regulations as well as the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) position on adequate veterinary care.

Animal: For the purpose of this policy, animal refers to any live vertebrate.

Animal Resources Center (ARC): The ARC directly administers several UAF animal research facilities and houses UAFs Veterinary Services.

Animal Welfare Regulations: For the purpose of this policy, animal welfare regulations followed at UAF are directed by the resources provided in the ‘REFERENCES RELIED UPON’ section of this policy.

Attending Veterinarian (AV): The AV is a veterinarian who has training or experience in the care of the species being used by UAF as well as in laboratory animal science and medicine. The AV must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Alaska. The AV reports directly to the VCR (the UAF designated Institutional Official (IO)) and oversees the UAF ARC.

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC): An independent animal welfare committee reporting to and appointed by the VCR (IO). IACUC reviews the animal care program and inspects all of the animal facilities to ensure that UAF is consistent with applicable regulations, policies, and guidelines.

Institutional Official (IO): The UAF IO, as designated by the UAF Chancellor, is the Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR). The individual at a research facility who is authorized to legally commit on behalf of the research facility that the requirements of 9 CFR parts 1, 2, and 3 will be met. The IO bears ultimate responsibility for the animal care and use program although direction is a shared responsibility between the IO, AV, and IACUC.

Laboratory Animal: Any vertebrate animal (e.g., traditional laboratory animals, agricultural animals, wildlife, and aquatic species) produced for or used in research, testing, or teaching.

Office of Research Integrity (ORI): Coordinates and provides administrative support for the IACUC and several other UAF compliance committees. This includes monitoring internal policies, sponsor requirements, and local, state and federal regulations governing the conduct of research.

Principal Investigator (PI): The primary individual responsible for the preparation, conduct, and administration of a research grant, cooperative agreement, training or public service project, contract, or other sponsored project in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and institutional policies governing the conduct of sponsored research.

University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF): For the purpose of this policy, “UAF” includes the trails, sidewalks and roads as well as farm fields, research areas (to include satellite facilities), and research field sites owned and maintained by UAF.

REFERENCES RELIED UPON

1. American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) Position Statement on Adequate Veterinary Care. 2016. Journal of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science. 55(6) 826-828.
2. Animal Welfare Regulations. Amended 2024. 9 CFR, Parts 1, 2, and 3
3. Animal Welfare Act. Code begins at 7 U.S.C. 2131.
4. Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals 8^th edition. 2011. The National Academies Press, Washington DC. 220p.
5. Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching, Fourth Edition, 2020. Published by the American Dairy Science Association, the American Society of Animal Science, and the Poultry Science Association.
6. 2016 Guidelines for the American Society of Mammalogists for the use of wild mammals in research. 2016 Journal of Mammalogy, 97(3):663-688,.
7. Fair, J., E. Paul, J. Jones and L. Bies, Eds. 2023. Guidelines to the Use of Wild Birds in Research. Washington, D.C. Ornithological Council.
8. Guidelines for the Use of Fishes in Research. 2014. Use of Fishes in Research Committee (joint committee of the American Fisheries Society, the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, and the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists). American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.
9. Guidelines for Use of Live Amphibians and Reptiles in Field and Laboratory Research, 2nd edition(2004) Herpetological Animal Care and Use Committee (HACC) of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
10. Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. 2015.
11. National Institutes of Health, Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare.
12. USDA Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations. July 2023.
13. UAF Principal Investigator Eligibility Policy.
14. U.S Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities and expectations of the UAF Attending Veterinarian are well documented in the ACLAM Position Statement on Adequate Veterinary Care. To further ensure that all expectations are met, the Attending Veterinarian is granted direct authority over all care and use of animals used by UAF in research and teaching, including the basic husbandry and veterinary care used at all UAF animal facilities.

Given the diversity of animal species and the variety of disciplines involved in research and teaching, UAF has adopted a centralized animal care program to oversee the care and use of animals. The UAF Animal Care Program resides within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and, although the basic elements of the program are a shared responsibility between the IO, AV, and IACUC, the overall responsibility for the care and use of animals is a university-wide responsibility.

It is the University’s responsibility to ensure that the AV and the other components of the Animal Care Program have sufficient authority and resources to meet the requirements detailed in all relevant animal welfare regulations, policies, and guidance documents.

NON-COMPLIANCE

Failure to comply with this policy and associated policies and procedures may be grounds for disciplinary action by the university and, if applicable, suspension or termination of research or other activities, referral for misconduct proceedings, and reporting to state and federal agencies. Any disciplinary action taken by the university will follow the employment rules governing the individual’s employment category.

EXCEPTIONS

There are no exceptions to this policy.

PROCEDURES

The AV and other veterinarians in the ARC have full institutional support and authority to manage the UAF program of veterinary care. UAF follows the requirements set forth in the AWRs as well as the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) position on adequate veterinary care. This includes but is not limited to oversight of husbandry, housing, preventative medicine, health surveillance, animal diets, medical treatment, establishment of sedation, anesthetic and analgesic guidelines, surgical protocols, handling, immobilization, and euthanasia. During the course of their duties, the AV and ARC veterinarians will include input from involved principal investigators, course instructors, or their designee. In emergencies where contact is not possible, the course of action will be guided by professional veterinary judgment.

The AV will be involved in all institutional planning including maintenance, renovation, design, or construction of facilities in which animals are housed or used.

The duties of the AV may be shared and/or delegated to other veterinarians, but ensuring the program complies with federal regulations and policy remains the responsibility of the AV. Should any duties be delegated, then a mechanism of direct, frequent, and regular communication must be established between these veterinarians and the AV.

No party shall restrict, inhibit or otherwise obstruct access by the AV to animals or animal care and use activities. No party shall provide false information regarding the welfare, care, or use of animals.

POLICY APPROVED BY:

Daniel M. White, Chancellor
University of Alaska Fairbanks