Purposes

The Division of Animal Resources is the administrative unit of the University which is responsible for programs of animal care (except at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center). The Division of Animal Resources provides programs, facilities, personnel and equipment necessary for:

1. Animal health surveillance and veterinary medical care
2. Husbandry and routine maintenance of laboratory animals
3. Environmental control and monitoring to ensure consistent and wholesome conditions
4. Procurement of all animals
5. Quarantine and stabilization of procured animals
6. Technical assistance with animal studies
7. Animal transportation services
8. Consultation on the use of laboratory animals in research

Organization

1. The Division of Animal Resources is a Division of the School of Medicine with 72 employees supporting approximately 280 scientists and 1,000 persons with access to the animal research facilities.  The operating budget, excluding animal purchase costs, was about $5.1M in FY06-07.
2. The Administrative Unit of the Division provides for administrative and business functions: budget preparation, purchasing, general administrative and secretarial support, accounting and billing.   The Division of Animal Resources operates on a cost-recovery basis to recoup the cost of supplies and salaries for animal care. Costs are recovered through user charges (per diem rates). User charges are calculated by a system that is consistent with the “Cost Analysis and Rate Setting Manual for Animal Resources Facilities” of the National Institute of Health and are reviewed annually by a faculty advisory committee and the Executive Associate Dean for Research.  Staff:  1 DVM Director, 3 Managers/supervisors and 7 clerks, accountants or secretaries.
3. The Animal Care Unit of the Division provides for the daily maintenance or routine animal care, including provision of proper housing, sanitation and nourishment for a census of approximately 60,000 vertebrate animals, excluding zebrafish.  Specialized core rodent breeding services also provided.  Staff:  9  Managers/supervisors and 42 technicians.
4. The Veterinary Services Unit of the Division provides for the entire animal health care program.  The components of this program include vendor surveillance, quarantine and isolation, preventive medicine, daily observation, treatment and intervention for injury or illness, health evaluations of sentinel animals, necropsy, histopathology, parasitology, microbiology, serology, hematology and blood chemistries. Additionally, the staff of the Laboratory Animal Medicine Unit may provide assistance with animal anesthesia, surgery, radiography and post-operative care.  Staff:  2 faculty DVMs, 2 resident DVMs, 6 veterinary technicians.

Facilities

The University has substantial resources for the care and maintenance of research animals. These facilities are located in 9 buildings on or near the main campus and one downtown hospital.  These facilities comprise 155,005 s.f., 189 animal housing rooms, procedure rooms, modern animal surgeries, radiographic resources, diagnostic laboratories, and bio-containment facilities.

Standards

Emory University is committed to providing a quality program of animal care in compliance with state and federal laws and the standards and polices of the Public Health Service.   The standards of the program meet or exceed the federal Animal Welfare Act PL 89-544 (1966) and subsequent amendments and the documents entitled “Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals” and “Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals”.   Emory University has been continuously accredited campus-wide by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) since 1992.

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, a standing committee of the University appointed by the President, provides oversight for the Animal Care and Use Programs.  It includes scientists representing major Divisions of the University that have on-going animal research programs.  Additionally, the committee membership includes at least one veterinarian with programmatic responsibility for activities involving animals, at least one non-scientist, and at least one member unaffiliated with the Institution.   

Information Useful in Grant Preparation

Information Useful in Grant Preparation

Michael J. Huerkamp, DVM, DACLAM, Director DAR
January 9, 2008