LAR Policy:
Procedures for obtaining rodents from a non-commercial vendor source for housing in LAR facilities
The process for obtaining rodents from a non-commercial source begins with submission of an Animal Request form to the LAR office by the research staff. The office forwards the Animal Request form to the LAR Facility Manager (FM) who will inquire about husbandry details, receiving dates, and contact information for the (sending) university's veterinarian overseeing the rodent health surveillance program for that area of the facility. This contact information is forwarded to the LAR Assistant Director (AD). The AD contacts the veterinarian directly to discuss the health surveillance information needed from that institution. If special requirements are necessary for animal care or for biohazardous agents, a standard operating procedure will need to be written just for that room.
Once the health reports are reviewed and approved by the AD, a recommendation is made to the clinical veterinarian (CV) of which diagnostic tests will be needed during the quarantine period. The AD informs the FM whether the rodents will be quarantined in the research building or in a finger barn, based upon health status and husbandry practices of the sending institution. Veterinary approval only covers the health issues; space availability dictates final approval for ordering the animals
LAR requests that the PI send information to the AD about any phenotypic abnormalities of which LAR staff may need to be aware (e.g., diabetes, immunosuppression, blindness, etc). If significant abnormalities will be present, LAR will need the contact numbers/email for the investigator/laboratory director who will be sending the mice for more background or historical information about these phenotypic abnormalities.
The FM gives final approval to the shipment request, notifies the PI of the approval, and informs the CV of the shipping date. The CV uses this date to order sentinels, which will be quarantined and then be placed with the new animals in quarantine.
Depending upon the source and veterinary concerns, the PI may be asked to acquire additional research animals in the shipment to be sacrificed upon receipt or used as sentinels during the quarantine period. Rodents from institutions outside the United States or from facilities with a history of disease outbreaks may fall into this category.
The next phase of the quarantine period takes approximately three business weeks to ensure the sentinels are adequately exposed to pathogens the research animals bring in from the sending institution or were infected by during transit. During this time, experimental procedures are not allowed, but breeding set-ups may be performed by LAR personnel via the PI's instructions. Research staff are not allowed in the quarantine room, unless special arrangements are made and approved by the AD . Sentinels may be placed in separate cages from the research rodents or may be "contact" sentinels and placed within the same cages as the research animals. If the latter is needed, the PI will be notified by veterinary staff. Another three weeks is allowed for the rodents to seroconvert before blood sampling. Diagnostic samples or live animals are usually shipped the following week.
Sentinels are tested for Helicobacter by fecal PCR, pinworms by tape test and/or necropsy, and other common murine pathogens via serology. The testing is performed by an outside laboratory and takes one to two weeks to receive results. If test results reveal a cause for concern, the PI will be notified by the AD to consider options. If favorable diagnostic results are acquired, the area supervisor will be advised to release the animals from quarantine. The supervisor will notify the PI of the new housing location.
The PI is responsible for the costs incurred during the quarantine including, the costs of the sentinel program, personal protective equipment, shipping samples, and per diems for sentinels and research animals.
Please refer to the “Rodent Housing Policy” on the website for information regarding excluded rodent pathogens.
Revised October 16, 2008