High Point University recognizes the necessary roles that live animals play in research and teaching, and a concurrent responsibility to treat animals humanely. Our mission is to contribute to science education and the advancement of scientific knowledge while maintaining the most humane care and treatment of animal subjects. All High Point University faculty, staff, and students whose research or teaching involves live vertebrate animals in some way, whether in the lab or in the field, must be familiar with and conform to institutional, federal, and state regulations governing those activities. HPU established an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to ensure the proper care, use and humane treatment of animals used in research and teaching. The IACUC sets policies and procedures in accord with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal Welfare Regulations (which implement the Animal Welfare Act), Public Health Services Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Public Health Service Policy) and the National Academy of Science’s National Research Council’s Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide).
Submitting an Animal Use and Care Protocol
No use of a live vertebrate animal is permitted for research or teaching purposes without an IACUC Approved Animal Care and Use Protocol. Procedures for submitting an Animal Use and Care Protocol for IACUC review are given below:.
Complete the electronic version of the Animal Use and Care Protocol Proposal Form, sign it, have it signed by your Department Chair, and submit as an Email attachment to iacuc@highpoint.edu. Please include “IACUC Protocol Proposal” in RE: line.
Please note:
- Proposed Protocols to be reviewed should be received by the IACUC more than thirty (30) days prior to the date approval is required.
- IACUC approval must be received before housing aimals in any HPU facility.
- An IACUC approved protocol is valid for a maximum of 3 years.
- Commencement, expiration, and annual review dates dates will be assigned for the project based on the approval date. A copy of the Approved Protocol will be returned to the principal investigator or instructor.
HPU’s Protocol Form is designed, in part, to help assure that the following points as recommended by the Guide are addressed in the preparation and review of animal use and care protocols:
- Rationale and purpose of the proposed use of animals
- Justification of the species and number of animals requested. Whenever possible, the number of animals requested should be justified statistically. Availability or appropriateness of the use of less-invasive procedures, other species, isolated organ preparation, cell or tissue culture, or computer simulation (see Appendix A of the Guide, “Alternatives”)
- Adequacy of training and experience of personnel in the procedures used
- Unusual housing and husbandry requirements
- Appropriate sedation, analgesia, and anesthesia, (Scales of pain or invasiveness might aid in the preparation and review of protocols; see Appendix A of the Guide, “Anesthesia, Pain and Surgery.”)
- Unnecessary duplication of experiments
- Conduct of multiple major operative procedures
- Criteria and process for timely intervention, removal of animals from a study, or euthanasia if painful or stressful outcomes are anticipated
- Postprocedure care
- Method of euthanasia or disposition of animal
- Safety of working environment for personnel
Post-Approval Review
Protocol approvals are valid for a maximum of three years. The Principal Investigator or instructor must request IACUC approval for any significant departure from the original protocol by submitting a written description of the changes to the IACUC Chair at iacuc@highpoint.edu. The Principal Investigator or instructor must verify the status of the project annually by completing and submitting to the IACUC the Annual Protocol Renewal Form. A completed electronic version of the Annual Protocol Review Form should be signed and submitted as an email attachment to iacuc@highpoint.edu. Protocol approvals will be canceled for discontinued projects or projects that deviate significantly from the approved protocol.
Purpose of Policy
This policy provides the university community with procedures for the appropriate care and use of animals for research and teaching activities conducted under the auspices of the University.
Policy
It is the policy of High Point University that animals used in research and teaching receive humane treatment and care at all times. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator, whose activities regarding the use of animals are subject to oversight by the IACUC, to abide by this policy. No use of a live vertebrate animal is permitted for research or teaching purposes without an IACUC approved Animal Care and Use Protocol. Animal care and use should be guided by the following principles:
- All experiments involving live vertebrate animals must be performed by or under the supervision of a qualified scientist. Experimentation will be conducted in a manner that avoids unnecessary suffering and injury to the animals. The Principle Investigator must be prepared to terminate the experiment when continuation may result in unnecessary injury or suffering to the animals.
- Procedures involving animals should be designed and performed with due consideration of their relevance to human or animal health, the advancement of biological knowledge (research and teaching), or the good of society. The animals selected for a procedure should be appropriate and only the minimum number required to obtain scientifically valid results should be used. Alternatives, such as, statistical analysis of previously published studies, mathematical models, or in vitro biological systems, will be used when appropriate to replace animal use or reduce the number of animals required.
- Procedures with animals that may cause pain or distress should be preformed with appropriate analgesia, or anesthesia. All procedures or surgeries using chemically paralyzed animals must provide anesthesia throughout the paralytic episode. Animals that would otherwise suffer severe or chronic pain or distress that cannot be relieved should be painlessly euthanized as soon as possible unless scientifically justified in an IACUC approved protocol.
- The living conditions of animals kept for teaching or research should contribute to their health and comfort. Animal husbandry, disease control, appropriate use of anesthesia and analgesia administration of medication and euthanasia will be conducted as recommended by the consulting Veterinarian.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee will monitor the care and use of vertebrate animals at HPU and in off-campus programs. The Committee will regularly evaluate animal husbandry, facility and laboratory suitability, research procedures, and teaching practices where animals are involved. In addition, the Committee, will review animal use and care protocols for all teaching and research projects intending to use live vertebrate animals. Animal protocols will describe, in detail, methods to be used for animal care and assurance of humane treatment during the study. Committee approval of an animal protocol is required prior to initiation of a research project or teaching activity that uses live vertebrae animals.
It is the responsibility of the Principle Investigator conducting animal studies and the Committee (IACUC) monitoring the program to assure the responsible use and humane treatment of animals. Assurance that the use of animals in research and teaching is justifiable and is conducted in a considerate manner that minimizes distress and discomfort is required by the public and granting agencies. HPU is committed to providing such responsible use and considerate care for animal subjects used for teaching and research.
Please contact the IACUC Chair, Dr. Charles Smith at 841-9256 or email iacuc@highpoint.edu or the Institutional Official, Tim Linker, at 841-9313 or email rasp@highpoint.edu to report an animal-welfare related concern.
Abuse and neglect are deficiencies in animal care and use.
Animal abuse is defined as:
Intentionally inflicting pain, suffering or distress that is unrelated to the scientific goals and not contained in experimental procedures outlined in an Animal Use Protocol that has been approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Causing animal pain or distress by failure to follow the procedures of an approved Animal Use Protocol.
Animal neglect is defined as:
- Failure to provide food, water, or appropriate sanitation.
- Failure to provide treatment prescribed by a veterinarian or the principal investigator of a research project.
- Failure to notify a veterinarian or the person’s supervisor about an animal that is sick, in pain, injured or otherwise in need of veterinary medical care.
- Failure to report abusive or neglectful action of a student or employee.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee has established the following policy of reporting deficiencies in animal care:
All HPU employees and students have an ethical obligation to immediately report credible evidence of a deficiency in animal care and use. Any person who has observed or otherwise become aware of animal abuse or neglect should report it immediately to one of the following persons:
- the supervisor of the responsible employee or student
- the Chairman of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
- the IACUC Veterinarian
- the designated Institutional Official.
The Chair of the IACUC shall investigate all reports of suspected violations brought under this Policy and, if appropriate, recommend disciplinary action. The IACUC Chair shall report the findings and actions of the investigation to the person who reported the incident. Information may be reported anonymously and, to the extent that it is possible, anonymity will be preserved. No person shall be subjected to reprisals for filing a report under this Policy.
