UCSB Animal Care and Use Program Unit
Procedures for IACUC Approval

Purpose: To comply with federal law, USDA regulations, AAALAC accreditation, and assure quality care for all animals involved in UCSB research or teaching.

Authority: The Chancellor, as CEO, has assigned authority to the UCSB IACUC for oversight of all components of the UCSB Animal Care & Use Program.

Responsibilities

• IACUC: Responsible for program assurance integrity, approving justification of animal care facilities, reviewing the Animal Care and Use Program (ACUP), and inspecting the facilities.
• Campus Veterinarian: Responsible for veterinary care.
• Facility Director: Responsible for the Animal Care and Use Program description, maintenance of current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and assuring adequate staff training and enrollment of all staff in the OHSP. May provide Manager functions. Must be able to hold Principal Investigator (PI) status.
• Facility Managers: Responsible for implementing the Animal Care and Use Program/SOPs, daily husbandry concerns of animal care including staff scheduling, and environmental support.
• Animal Care Staff: Responsible for providing animal care according to the ACUP description and SOPs, daily health assessments, and documentation of animal care activities and the physical environment.

Program

• UCSB maintains a central vivarium (Animal Resource Center) for the benefit of all animal-use operations.
• Satellite care facilities may be authorized with appropriate justification for a defined period of time. This authorization is renewable. Each facility will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Each facility must have a complete description of the ACUP.

• ANIMAL: Any non-human vertebrate species used to investigate or teach on UCSB property and that has been purchased through the UCSB grants and contracts system and has a protocol approved by the UCSB IACUC.
• ANIMAL RESOURCE CENTER: The Animal Resource Center (ARC) is established by the institution and supported through a combination of institutional funds and investigator per diem.
• SATELLITE: Any site or location that:
  • Houses animals (> 12 hours) outside of the ARC.
  • Performs procedures on a vertebrate animal, which is overseen by the UCSB IACUC.
  • APPROVAL: A period not to exceed three years.
  • ANNUAL REVIEW: Satellite facilities will submit an annual report each year. Failure to submit the report could result in termination of the certified status of the satellite facility.
  • THREE-YEAR RENEWAL: The continuation of satellite facility status for additional periods of three years.
  • ANIMAL CARE AND USE PROGRAM UNIT: The ACUP unit includes the Satellite Facility (physical location) and a complete program of care in compliance with "The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals."
  • ANIMAL CARE AND USE PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: A detailed outline of the ACUP as required by the Association for Accreditation for Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC).

• Individuals who believe the central vivarium can not meet their research needs may apply for satellite facility status by completing the application and submitting the application to the UCSB IACUC.
• The application is reviewed by the IACUC. When the verbiage is defined and fits regulatory requirements, a subcommittee of the IACUC conducts a site visit of the proposed facility.
• The Subcommittee provides a recommendation to the full IACUC concerning the application.
• If considered acceptable, the satellite facility is certified for a period of not more than three years and is subjected to annual review. This certification is renewable, as long as sufficient justification exists.

• Animal Care and Use Program Description
• Qualifications of the Staff
• Housing areas
• Procedure areas

• After the initial inspection, and any subsequent inspections, the manager of the facility will be given a list of any deficiencies and a time line for correction.
• The manager must respond to the deficiencies in writing with a plan for correction by the given deadline.
• If the satellite facility's approval is revoked or not renewed, a report detailing the reasons will be prepared and submitted to the Facility Director, the IACUC and the Campus Veterinarian. The IACUC will review and consider any responses to this report.

• IACUC semi-annual inspection: representatives of the IACUC will inspect facilities every six months, as required by law.
• Campus Veterinarian - unannounced, at any time
• USDA - unannounced, at any time

Annual Reports Facility Managers will submit an annual report to IACUC. Failure to do so could result in termination of facility certification for animal care or use.