Expectations for Satellite Housing (Policy)

Policy:

The IACUC has provided a set of guidance documents (Policies, Guidelines, and Informational Sheets) for use when planning animal procedures at the University of Iowa. An exception to a Policy must be described and justified in the Animal Protocol and approved by the full IACUC at a convened monthly meeting.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to clarify the expectations of the IACUC for requests to house animals in a space outside of Office of Animal Resource (OAR) facilities.

Definitions: 

Satellite housing is defined as any area outside of OAR’s centrally managed housing facilities where animals are maintained for more than 12 hours for species covered by the Animal Welfare Act Regulations (AWA/AWRs), or for more than 24 hours for species not covered by the AWA/AWRs.  

AWA/AWR covered species, or “USDA covered species”, include all mammals and wild-caught birds. Rats (Rattus), mice (Mus), and birds that were bred for use in research are specifically excluded from coverage by the AWA/AWRs.

Expectations:

The operating standard at the university is to maintain animals within its centrally managed animal housing program. The scientific needs of some research programs or particular phases of some projects may not be able to be accommodated within central facilities, however. Consultation with OAR prior to every request for satellite housing is required. 

A request may be submitted to the IACUC for satellite housing under the following conditions:

  1. Only after consultation with OAR (veterinarians and husbandry managers) and determination that either
    1. no OAR housing space is available and/or
    2. the available space does not meet specific requirements of the scientific needs
  2. In those cases:
    1. An informal request may be submitted to the IACUC office to do a preliminary review of the site to determine feasibility of the proposed space to be utilized for housing
    2. The satellite housing is requested by the Principal Investigator (PI) through an animal protocol amendment
    3. The IACUC reviews and approves the scientific rationale for short- or long-term satellite housing in the context of the applicable research protocol
    4. The OAR veterinarians assist in reviewing the rationale for and pertinent details of the plan for satellite housing
      1. Items will include, but not be limited to
        1. Wall, floor and ceiling finishes
        2. Room security
        3. HVAC settings
        4. Control of light cycles
        5. Monitoring of environmental parameters
    5.  Additional consultation/approval with Facilities Management is also required prior to further IACUC action.
    6. Review and approval by Environmental Health and Safety, and/or others, as identified, may be a required part of the evaluation of the space.
  3. If the scientific rationale is deemed adequate
    1. members of the IACUC will conduct a formal inspection of the proposed satellite housing space
    2. Any corrective items will be noted and communicated to the PI and/or lab designee
    3. Plan / resolution of the corrective actions must be ensured by the lab and communicated back to the IACUC office prior to approval of the space
  4. OAR veterinarians will communicate further requirements to the lab (e.g. husbandry log, appropriate room signage, potential need for inclusion in the health surveillance program, etc.) once both approval of the protocol/amendment identifying the satellite housing space and approval of the inspected space have occurred
  5. The space will be reinspected on a periodic bases by OAR husbandry managers or veterinarians (typically once per month) and no less than every 6 months during semi-annual inspections by the IACUC

Permanency 

IACUC approval of a satellite housing space is not indefinite.  Following the period of approval (such as during protocol renewal), the IACUC will review the proposed use of the space to determine if continued use is still appropriate. For example, should a space within the OAR centrally managed facilities become available that meets the study needs, it is the expectation of the IACUC that the PI/lab will make efforts to transition to the OAR space within a timely manner. If the transition to the OAR space requires sole occupancy and use of the space by a single lab, a rental agreement will be required. 

 

Last Reviewed by the IACUC 1/14/2026