The Top 10 Things You Must Know to Care for and Use Animals at UCSD
Read the most important things you as a principal investigator must consider when using and caring for animals for research at UC San Diego.
1. Every vertebrate animal used in research, teaching or testing at the University of California San Diego must be included in an approved Animal Care and Use Protocol on file with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
2. You must complete and submit a Personnel Qualifications Form and your qualifications must be approved by the IACUC Office before handling or working with animals. Each person must attend the Orientation to Animal Research at UCSD course and be adequately trained in each species and each procedure that he/she will perform.
3. You must minimize potential pain and distress in animals by:
- Being trained in proper animal handling
- Choosing alternatives to live animals whenever possible (PDF)
- Providing for proper housing and behavioral needs of the animals (PDF)
- Follow appropriate guidelines for procedures that are likely to cause pain or distress (PDF)
- Knowing how to determine if the animal is experiencing pain or distress (PDF)
- Utilizing appropriate anesthetics and analgesics for painful procedures, or justify to the IACUC why they can not be used
- Use aseptic technique and proper procedures when performing surgery on small animals (PDF)
- Use aseptic technique and proper procedures when performing surgery on large animals (PDF)
- Provide appropriate post-procedural care
- Perform euthanasia of animals using approved methods (PDF)
4. You must be aware of the hazards you are working with and receive the appropriate safety training.
5. You must be aware of the various regulations and guidelines that affect animal use at the University of California San Diego
6. You must follow the Animal Care Program procedures.
7. All animals must be ordered through the Animal Care Program.
8. You must submit an amendment BEFORE you make any changes to an approved animal use protocol.
9. Learn about the Occupational Health Program and enroll.
10. Know who to contact for questions about:
- Animal Use Protocols IACUC Office
- Animal Ordering ACP Business Office
- Animal Husbandry ACP Area Supervisor
- Veterinary Care ACP Veterinary Staff