The University of Iowa
Vertebrate Animal Research

Animal Shipping to and from other Institutions

All animal shipments to or from another research institution must be arranged through the Office of Animal Resources (OAR), Shipping Coordinator (319-335-7985, animal-transfer@uiowa.edu).  Shipment requests require proper forms, health reports, vet review and approval and take a minimum of two weeks or more to process completely.

The arrangement of shipments is weather dependent.  The NIH Animal Transportation Guidelines require that temperature extremes are to be avoided when animals are transported.  Special precautions or postponements are required when temperatures are below 45°F or above 85°F at any point along the travel route. Temperature-controlled couriers are available.  However, due to the substantial cost, use of these couriers must be requested by the Principal Investigator.

Animal Transfers TO the University of Iowa (From Another Institution)

1.  The University of Iowa Principal Investigator ("UIPI"):
2.  The attending veterinarian or contact person at the institution shipping the animals:
  • Email the completed Institution/Investigator Import Form to animal-transfer@uiowa.edu
    • Once both forms are received, the Shipping Coordinator will request from the shipping institution (1 years' worth of health history, including the most recent report to have been completed within the last 90 days).
3.  Once the Shipping Coordinator has the two completed forms, and health reports, the shipment request will be submitted to the vet staff for review.
 
4.  When approval is given by the University of Iowa veterinarian, the contact person at the shipping institution will be notified to arrange the shipment.
  • A copy of this notification will also be sent to the contact person in the laboratory at the University of Iowa.

Animal Transfers FROM the University of Iowa (To Another Institution)

1.  The University of Iowa Principal Investigator ("UIPI"):
2.  The Investigator or contact person at the receiving institution:
3.  Both forms must be received by the OAR Shipping Coordinator in order to begin processing the request.
 
4.  The University PI must label the appropriate cages with a purple shipment card, available from the Area Supervisor, that includes the following information:
  • The UI PI's name
  • Institution/city to which animals are being shipped
  • The receiving Investigator's name

Please contact the OAR Shipping Coordinator (319-335-7985, animal-transfer@uiowa.edu) for requests involving receipt of aquatic species or transfers to/from the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Office of Animal Resources