Introduction

Virginia Tech is committed to providing humane care for and ensuring the well-being of animals used in research and teaching at this university by our faculty, staff, and students. This commitment is guided by the ethical principles described in the “U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training” and in applicable federal regulations, guidelines, and policies, including, but not limited to the federal Animal Welfare Act, the “Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals,” and the ILAR/NRC “Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.” For operational purposes, as required by federal law, this commitment is vested in the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) which operates under an Animal Welfare Assurance on file with the Office for Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) within the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Virginia Tech's Animal Welfare Assurance number is A-3208-01, with an expiration date of 3-31-2010. Virginia Tech is a registered research facility with USDA-APHIS-AC (Registration Certificate Number 52-R-0012, expiration date 10-01-2009), and its facilities and program of animal care are inspected annually by a federal inspector.

All teaching uses as well as any research involving vertebrate animal species (excluding human subjects), regardless of funding source, are under the purview of the Virginia Tech IACUC. Animals cannot be obtained or used without prior protocol review and approval by the IACUC. As per federal law, the IACUC has the authority to approve, disapprove, or require modifications to be made to protocols to ensure regulatory compliance, and also has the authority to suspend or terminate ongoing protocols if it is determined that inappropriate or unapproved activities involving animals are taking place.

The Virginia Tech Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee reports to the Vice President for Research, who as the designated “Institutional Official,” is responsible for ensuring to federal regulatory officials, on behalf of the University, that issues of non-compliance are satisfactorily rectified.

Animal Use Compliance at Virginia Tech - this is a pdf formatted informational handout for new faculty and staff who will be using animals in teaching and/or research. Contact the IACUC Office for hard copies of this handout in the form of a bookmark for your lab or department, if desired.

New Occupational Health and Safety Training Education webpages now available for undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty and staff working with animals in research and teaching.

New training requirements have been rolled out in late 2007 and early 2008. Researchers, graduate students and staff who use animals in teaching or research are expected to complete IACUC and Occupational Health and Safety Training prior to any animal use, effective September 1, 2008. Please see above or the Training Information page for more information.

A PDF Version of "Guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists for the Use of Wild Mammals in Research", originally published in the Journal of Mammalogy, 88(3):809-823, 2007 is now available.

Current release of: AMVA Guidelines on Euthanasia Report

Please click on the links below to access the IACUC protocol submission forms.

Note: These forms are subject to revision without notice. We recommend that you always download new forms from this site when writing a new protocol submission to ensure using the correct version of the protocol form.

Research Protocol Forms (use these forms for all research projects)

• Download “New Protocol Review Form - Research” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix A: Housing and Husbandry - Research” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix B: Antemortem Specimen Collection - Research” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix C: Test Substance Administration - Research” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix D: Surgical Procedures - Research” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix E: Antibody Production- Research” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix F: Stress Studies - Research” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix G: Tumor Induction and Management - Research” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix H: Field Studies and Wild Caught Animals - Research” (MS Word format)
• “Certification of Compliance Assurance - Research”
  • This document will be sent to you by the IACUC Office upon receipt of your new protocol submission.
  • PLEASE READ this document as it contains important protocol-related instructions and information for which the PI is accountable.
  • Then print, sign and return the original signature hardcopy to the IACUC Office at your earliest convenience.
  • Approval Letters WILL NOT be released until the signed hard copy of this document is received.
• Download “Amendment Form - Research” (MS Word format) (New Version! Please use!)
• Download “Annual Continuing Review Form - Research” (MS Word format)

Instructional Protocol Forms (use these forms for all courses, labs, and special events involving animals)

• Download “New Protocol Review Form - Instruction” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix A: Housing and Husbandry - Instruction” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix B: Antemortem Specimen Collection - Instruction” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix C: Test Substance Administration - Instruction” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix D: Surgical Procedures - Instruction” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix E: Antibody Production - Instruction” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix F: Stress Studies - Instruction” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix G: Tumor Induction and Management - Instruction” (MS Word format)
• Download “Appendix H: Field Studies and Wild Caught Animals - Instruction” (MS Word format)
• “Certification of Compliance Assurance - Instruction”
  • PLEASE READ this document as it contains important protocol-related instructions and information for which the Lead Instructor is accountable.
  • Then print, sign and return the original signature hardcopy to the IACUC Office at your earliest convenience.
  • Approval Letters WILL NOT be released until the signed hard copy of this document is received.
• Download “Amendment Form - Instruction” (MS Word format) (New Version! Please use!)
• Download “Annual Continuing Review Form - Instruction” (MS Word format)

The following documents have been prepared to assist you in completing the protocol forms. Please refer to them when completing your protocol form.

• Download “Resources for Completing the IACUC Form” (MS Word format)
• Download “Searching for Alternatives” (MS Word format)