Maintaining Animals in Study Areas

I. Purpose

To provide standardized requirements for authorizing PI-maintained animal housing facilities, consistent with federal regulations and principles ^[1].

II. Definitions

AWARs: USDA Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations

DLAM: Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine

The Guide: National Research Council Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals

PHS Policy: Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals

Study Area: Any investigator-managed building, room, area, enclosure, or other containment site in which USDA-regulated animal species ^[2] are housed for periods longer than twelve (12) hours, or in which non-USDA-regulated animal species ^[3] are housed for periods longer than twenty-four (24) hours.

III. Policy

The ARC requires that all animals used in research, teaching, testing, and related activities be housed within the DLAM-managed vivaria, unless justification for an alternate, PI-managed arrangement is approved by the ARC.

Unique species or experimental designs may require different housing considerations; therefore, the ARC requires consultation with the Attending Veterinarian (or designee) on the appropriate housing method(s) for specific species prior to construction and/or use of space outside of the DLAM footprint for animal housing.

In cases where animals cannot be housed within the DLAM-managed vivarium, use of a study area may be approved provided:

• Scientific justification for this arrangement is approved by the ARC.
• Cost and convenience are not considered acceptable justifications for use of a study area. In some cases, certain species may be routinely housed outside of the DLAM-managed vivarium when DLAM facilities are not available for their housing. In other cases, animals may be housed within DLAM facilities, but in a room that is not managed by DLAM, or may be housed outside of DLAM facilities, but maintained by DLAM Husbandry staff. As with other study areas, the ARC must review and approve all study area requests.
  • The ARC may rescind approval of any study area at such time as suitable DLAM-managed vivarium housing becomes available.
  • Approval may also be rescinded due to continued failure to maintain the room according to acceptable standards as determined by the ARC.
• A Study Area Management document (SAM Doc) is developed by the investigator at the time of initial study area establishment and is approved by the ARC.
  • The SAM Doc describes standards for animal environments, housing, and management based on the most current edition of the Guide. Exceptions to standards must be approved by the ARC and documented in the SAM Doc.
    • The SAM Doc must be reviewed / revised every three (3) years.
    • Significant changes to management and/or use of the space must be documented and approved by the ARC prior to implementation.
    • All team members who access the study area must read and sign the SAM Doc.
    • A copy of the signed SAM Doc must be maintained in the study area.
  • Expanded parameters are described in an Appendix to this Policy.
• The study area is inspected and certified by the ARC at least once every six months.
  • ARC certification of a study area is valid for a six-month period after the date of inspection with the condition that acceptable standards are maintained.
  • Ventilation in the study area must be adequate (based on the Guide), as measured by Facilities Management and approved by the ARC.
• The Attending Veterinarian or designee is given access (e.g., a key or combination) to the study area for evaluation of animal health and well-being.
  • Note: 24-hour access to the study area must be provided to DLAM.^[4]
• The DLAM veterinarian overseeing the study areas (or his/her designee)^[5] is notified when animals are brought to and removed from a study area in order to facilitate the identification of active areas which require oversight by the ARC and DLAM.
  • Similarly, DLAM is to be promptly notified when animals that have undergone survival surgical procedures are brought into the study area during the post-operative period.
  • The DLAM veterinary staff may make routine, random visits to the study area for health checks. If these visits are necessitated due to an increase in health cases, above average surgical activity, or failure to comply with acceptable room maintenance standards, then a fee for time spent in these locations may be charged to the lab by DLAM.
• Daily study area logs are maintained for periods when animals are present and retained for inspection by the ARC and/or DLAM staff for at least six (6) months.

Appendix

1. Animal Facility
   1. Sanitation
   2. Food/Bedding Storage
   3. Temperature and Humidity
   4. Ventilation
   5. Illumination
   6. Noise
   7. Hazardous Agents
   8. Access
2. Animal Care and Husbandry
   
   1. Daily Observation of Animals
   2. Food/Water
   3. Cages/Bedding
   4. Emergency Procedures
3. Record-keeping
   
   1. Study Area Log
   2. Management Document for Animal Husbandry and Study Area Maintenance
   3. Room Ventilation

A. Animal Facility

1. Sanitation
   The study area must have a regular sanitary maintenance schedule and must be kept clean, neat, and uncluttered. "All components of the animal facility...should be regularly cleaned and disinfected as appropriate to the circumstances and at a frequency based on the use of the area and the nature of likely contamination." (the Guide, p. 72). Consult with DLAM on recommended cleaning practices and schedules.
2. Food/Bedding Storage
   Food and bedding materials must be stored in closed containers to avoid contamination and the potential spread of disease. Containers must seal so that vermin are excluded from the food and bedding being stored, and must be made of a material such that the container can be sanitized on a regular basis.

   If food is not stored in the original bag, the milling date (typically found on the bag seam) must be indicated clearly on the food container. If no milling date is listed on the food bag, label the bag with the date received. With proper storage, food can generally be used up to one year  after the milling, receipt, or purchase date (please check with DLAM). However, the shelf-life of food can be shortened by several factors, including temperatures above 21°C (70°F), humidity extremes, unsanitary conditions, light, oxygen, and pests.

3. Temperature and Humidity
   Temperature and humidity must be monitored and recorded on a daily basis. In Study Areas housing non-aquatic species, monitoring and recording of temperature is accomplished using the SensoScientific Environment Monitoring Device; installation of this device is a requirement for such Study Areas and an annual service fee will be billed to the lab by DLAM. Installation of this Device is not required in study areas housing aquatic species or in Study Areas otherwise exempted by the ARC (e.g., where other devices are used to monitor these variables within animal enclosures and alerts regarding temperature extremes can be sent remotely).

   Relative humidity in the room should be maintained within 30 to 70% for mammalian species. The acceptable relative humidity range is wider for aquatics. There is no lower limit but care should be taken to check water levels in tanks more frequently when humidity is low. Relative humidity for aquatics should not reach a level sufficient to cause condensation on tanks, which impedes observation of the animals.

   Unless special environmental conditions are approved by the ARC, and documented in the area SOP, the area temperature must be appropriate to the species (see table below).^[6]

4. Ventilation
   Ventilation within the study area should provide 10-15 fresh air changes per hour.^[7] The air pressure differential should be checked on a weekly basis (either positive or negative relative to the corridor) and recorded on the study area log. Air changes per hour will be evaluated every three (3) years in advance of the AAALAC site visit and reported to the ARC (a fee for this may apply to the lab). If the rate of air changes per hour drops below ten (10), the ARC will re-evaluate approval of the study area.
5. Illumination
   Several factors should be considered when determining adequate illumination, such as light intensity and wavelength, duration and time of light exposure during the circadian cycle, animal pigmentation and light history, body temperature, hormonal status, age, species, sex, and animal stock/strain.^[8]
6. Noise
   Unnecessary noise in the study area should be minimized.^[9]
7. Hazardous Agents
   Hazardous biological, chemical, or physical agents must not be stored or used where animals are housed.
8. Access
   Access to study areas is restricted to individuals listed on an approved animal protocol; as such, the room must be secured at all times (e.g., via card key, hard key, signage). Doors must fit tightly within the frame to prevent escape of or injury to animals. Door sweeps should be installed. UCLA custodial staff should not enter rooms where animals are housed.

B. Animal Care and Husbandry

1. Daily Observation of Animals
   Animals must be observed daily, including weekends and holidays, by personnel qualified to assess their health and well-being.^[10]

   Daily observation of animals must be recorded in the study area log (see Section C.1).

   Problems of animal health, behavior, and/or well-being must be conveyed promptly to the attending veterinarian. Contact the DLAM veterinarian via the provided contact routes for animal health concerns. Animals that are found sick or dead should also be reported to the DLAM veterinarian.

   Notify the DLAM veterinarian and animal health technicians at DLAMAHT@mednet.ucla.edu if an animal that is sick, flagged as a health case, or has an ongoing health issue is being moved between the DLAM vivarium and PI’s study area.

   The DLAM Emergency Phone Tree extension (x52200) should be readily available in case of an after-hours veterinary emergency.

2. Food/Water
   "Animals should be fed palatable, uncontaminated diets that meet their nutritional and behavioral needs at least daily, or according to their particular requirements, unless the protocol in which they are being used requires otherwise" (the Guide, p. 65). To avoid contamination, food must be stored properly and provided in feeders that prevent contact of food with feces and urine.

   Additionally, animals must have access to "potable, uncontaminated drinking water according to their particular requirements" (the Guide, p. 67). To avoid microbial cross-contamination, the Guide recommends either replacing water bottles or refilling them provided they are returned to the same cage from which they were removed. Watering devices should be checked daily to ensure proper operation and must be washed and sanitized at least weekly. Water that is not obtained through DLAM must be tested to assure water quality. Contact DLAMLab@mednet.ucla.edu for water testing.

3. Cages/Bedding
   The frequency of rodent cage changes in study areas should match those within DLAM-managed facilities; consult with the DLAM veterinary staff with questions for any species. Any alternative schedule must be documented in the SAM Doc and approved by the ARC.

   Bedding changes for static rodent cages can vary from daily to weekly depending on factors such as number and size of animals, cage size, urinary and fecal output, and experimental conditions.^[11] Cages on individually ventilated cage racks may be changed less frequently (e.g., every other week).

   All cages must be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis. The frequency of cage sanitation may vary depending on specific husbandry practices, such as bedding type, cage type and size, animal density, and frequency of bedding changes.

4. Emergency Procedures
   The SAM Doc must include a communication and action plan, prepared in coordination with DLAM, for animal care and maintenance in the event of an emergency or disaster such that normal lab staffing is impacted. The plan should identify who will maintain animals housed in the study area, or where the animals will be relocated to be housed within DLAM space, or when and how the animals will be euthanized, or if there is another contingency plan in place.

   In addition, the Animals Outside Vivaria sign must be posted in the study area.

C. Record-keeping

1. Study Area Log
   Records of animal care, room maintenance, and environmental conditions are required to be posted in the study area and kept updated by responsible personnel.

   The ARC has prepared a sample study area log which can be modified as appropriate to the protocol and animal species. The format of the modified log should be kept on file and should accurately reflect the tasks performed and the frequency of each task as described in the SAM document (see Section C.2).

2. Management Document for Animal Husbandry and Study Area Maintenance
   A detailed description of procedures for animal husbandry and study area maintenance must be submitted to the ARC administrative office (see attached SAM Doc template) and approved by the ARC. The Study Area Management document (SAM doc) must be signed by all responsible personnel, kept on file in the study area, and available for inspection by representatives of the ARC, DLAM, and regulatory agencies during normal business hours.
3. Room Ventilation
   A copy of Facilities Management's report regarding room ventilation (exhaust and air exchange rate) must be submitted to the ARC administrative office if the lab arranges for room measurements independent of DLAM. This document must be kept on file and available for inspection by representatives of the ARC, the Campus Veterinarian, and regulatory agencies during normal business hours.