Purpose

In order to ensure a safe environment for both employees of the Health Center, and the laboratory animals, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) has implemented a policy regarding the transport of animals in the Health Center.

Action

1. Animals must be transferred into clean caging prior to removal from the animal facility.

2. Animals must be transported in closed caging (either microisolator lids or soft bonnet type covers) and covered with an opaque material (e.g., sheet, towel, etc.).

3. If more than 1 cage of animals is being transported, transport must be on a cart because of the possibility of dropping the cages.

4. Animals may not be transported on a common-use elevator. CCM elevators only are to be used to transport animals between floors.

5. Animal caging (with or without animals) may NOT be placed, unsupervised, in the hallways. All caging must be kept in the laboratory areas.

6. Animals are to be transported in commercial or CCM-operated vehicles ONLY unless a modification of an approved protocol to transport animals in personal cars has been approved by the IACUC.  Please refer to the IACUC Policy on Mouse/Rat Transportation Outside UConn Health for transport of animals outside the institution.

 

Effective Dates: June 6, 2024 thru June 30, 2027