Animal facility inspections
By law, at least once every six months, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee inspects animal facilities and satellite facilities-including procedural areas and animal housing rooms. There is also a system for the inspection of vehicles used to transport animals.
Inspections vary by institution and facility. In general, the committee will evaluate:
- Appropriateness of facilities, personnel, and equipment
- Cleanliness of facilities, lab areas, and equipment
- Safety of areas for personnel
- Conditions of the animals
- Personnel training records
- Records for surgery, anesthesia, and post-operative care
- Euthanasia equipment
- Storage and expiration date of pharmaceuticals, including related records
- Animal husbandry
You will receive an email outlining any deficiencies and the timeline for correcting them. If a significant deficiency is not corrected within the timeline, the deficiency is reported to the appropriate federal agency, grant agency, and institutional official.