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Office of The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

The mission of the IACUC is to promote and to facilitate scientific research while simultaneously striving to reduce the number of animals required, to perform research with techniques that limit pain or distress, and to seek alternative procedures that can supply the required results but do not utilize living animals. To that end, our goal is to promote and encourage an atmosphere of attention, concern and caring for the welfare and comfort of the animals that are under our charge.

Office of Animal Resources (OAR)

The University of Iowa under the auspices of the Vice President for Research maintains a centralized animal care program with administrative responsibility by the Office of Animal Resources (OAR). The OAR facilitates the research mission of the University by meeting the animal research needs of the research community.  The OAR provides veterinary expertise, care, and resources necessary for the maintenance and preservation of a quality animal research program and environment. 

Institutional Assurances

  • Accredited by The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC International) (since November 1994)
  • Registered United States Department of Agriculture research facility (USDA No. 42-R-0004)
  • PHS Animal Welfare Assurance (A3021-01).
     

Recommended Text for: NIH I.  Required Elements of the Vertebrate Animal Section (VAS), Sec. 1.3:

The University of Iowa, under the Vice President for Research, maintains a centralized animal care program.

  • Husbandry/administrative responsibility is assigned to the Office of Animal Resources (OAR).  The animal facilities comprise approximately 70,000 square feet of space and accommodate multiple species in multiple campus locations.  The OAR team includes four full-time veterinarians (two are board certified by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, ACLAM), two veterinary technicians and approximately 50 animal care technicians.  Animals are observed on a daily basis by the animal care staff, including weekends and holidays.  Emergency care is provided by veterinary technicians and veterinarians, both which are available 24 hours/day.  The Attending Veterinarian is on staff full-time.
  • The University's animal research program has a PHS Animal Welfare Assurance (A3021-01), is a registered research facility with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA No. 42-R-0004), and is fully accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC).  The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) reviews all research and teaching protocols involving the use of animals and fulfills all other mandated responsibilities.  The IACUC employs a Chair, Director/Veterinarian, Assistant Veterinarian, IACUC Coordinator, IACUC Application Analyst, and one Post Approval Monitor.

Notices: