STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR TRANSPORTATION OF LABORATORY ANIMALS

COMPARATIVE MEDICINE LABORATORY ANIMAL FACILITIES

1. Purpose
   This procedure supplies information to anyone wishing to transport an animal from their holding room. It details cage and route considerations as well as stresses the need for animal identification at all times.
2. Scope
   This procedure applies to all Principal Investigator staff and CM-LAF personnel.
3. Procedure
   1. Transport of animals to facilities on same campus.
      1. It is necessary, in many cases, to transport laboratory animals back and forth from their primary housing area in one of the University's animal facilities to research laboratories or other specialized facilities.
         Because of public health, animal health, security and public relations concerns, laboratory animals must only be transported in their primary enclosure or cage, or in approved transport cages or other devices that are escape-proof, adequate in size and that are made of materials that can be readily sanitized. All cages or other transport devices must have solid bottoms or be placed in a secondary container so as to contain animal waste. All devices must be appropriately sanitized between use.
      2. When it is necessary to transport laboratory animals from one facility to another out-of-doors or through any public access corridor, transport cages or other devices must be either totally enclosed or covered with a drape or other material so that the animal is not visible. While disposable drapes are preferred, cloth drapes are acceptable if they are laundered at least weekly. To minimize non-disposable drapes from becoming fomites that act to transport infectious disease, a separate drape should be used for each room of animals entered.
      3. Public passenger elevators should not be used to transport laboratory animals. Passenger and freight elevators within the CM-LAF are not considered "public" for purposes of this general policy. If a public elevator must be used, approval from the IACUC and the CM-LAF Director must be obtained.
      4. The animal's cage card must accompany the animal throughout the travel procedure.
   2. Transport of animals that require ground transportation to facilities off campus.
      1. If a research animal needs to be transferred by vehicle to a facility in the Buffalo area, the facility manager should be contacted to make arrangements. (See SOP 1.D.2)
         1. The preferred method is to take advantage of the CM-LAF ability to transport animals legally and humanely throughout the Buffalo area.
         2. Transportation fees are available upon request.
         3. All requests to transport animals should be made during normal work hours.
      2. If the researcher is transporting his or her own animals, the following guidelines must be met:
         1. All USDA regulations for the animal species that is being transported must be reviewed and followed. Copies of the USDA regulations can be obtained from the CM-LAF office at 116 Biomedical Education Building or contact the facility manager.
         2. The IACUC protocol must include a detailed description of how the animals will be transported. If transportation requirements were not originally approved in the IACUC protocol, an amendment must be approved prior to transportation.
         3. The veterinary staff must be contacted prior to the transport of the animals to assess their health and issue a health certificate if required. Also, the facility manager must be contacted so the cage or crate and the vehicle can be inspected and approved for transport.
         4. All animals must be transported in a static micro-isolator cage if possible and covered with a drape.
         5. Animal identification card and if appropriate a copy of the animal's permanent veterinary record must accompany research animal.
         6. Animals must be transported in vehicles which have compatible temperatures, and cannot be placed in vehicle's trunk.
         7. Animals will not be left unattended in vehicle or facility.
         8. If rodents are to be transported from an unapproved vendor, please refer to standard operating procedure 1.A.9.
         9. Training of these guidelines must be arranged with the facility manager prior to transport.