I: Related Policies and Guidance

 529-220: Animal Bites - Treatment and Reporting

529-350: Guidelines for Rodent Euthanasia

529-272: Ground Transport of Animals by UCR Investigators and Staff

 

II: Background and Purpose

The University of California, Riverside, the IACUC, and animal research personnel have specific responsibilities regarding the use of animals for teaching and research. These include appropriate prevention measures and adequate response to the escape of university-owned animals. To provide the needed assurances to university personnel, the surrounding community, and federal regulatory agencies, the following guidelines and procedures address ways to minimize the likelihood of animal escape and assure communication and interaction with appropriate university and community officials should an animal escape occur.

 

III: Guidelines

A. Prevention of Animal Escape:

It is the PI’s responsibility to train laboratory personnel in appropriate animal handling and restraint techniques and to provide engineering controls, such as performing procedures in contained spaces or within rooms with closed doors and sweeps, to minimize the likelihood of animal escape. It is recommended to utilize vivarium procedure spaces as much as possible, as many of these preventative measures are well established.

B. Response to Animal Escape:

Animal handlers must recapture and return an escaped animal to its containment quickly and safely. Mice on the floor present a risk to the mouse colonies, especially in areas outside the animal facility that may have less biosecurity and infrequent cleanings. Should immediate recapture by the animal handler not be possible, do the following:

a) For vivarium facilities:

 

i. Laboratory or vivarium staff must immediately alert the Vivarium Operations Manager of an escaped animal. Include information such as location last seen and any identifiable characteristics, including any individual animal identification method utilized (e.g., ear tag). Live traps for rodents are deployed in specific locations in the vivaria. Additional traps may be deployed at the discretion of the Vivarium Operations Manager when alerted to an escaped animal.

 

ii. Laboratory staff is responsible for informing the Vivarium Operations Manager if an escaped rodent (e.g., a founder male) cannot be euthanized upon recapture because of its significance to the laboratory’s research. 

 

iii. Laboratory or vivarium staff must report missing or escaped animals to the responsible PI to coordinate recovery actions with the Vivarium Operations Manager.

           

b) For satellite housing and procedure spaces:

i. Laboratory staff must report missing or escaped animals to the responsible PI. The lab designee will contact the Vivarium Operations Manager to implement trap(s) to aid as needed in animal recapture.

 

ii. Report missing or escaped animals to the IACUC Office (iacuc@ucr.edu). Include where the animal was last seen and where live traps have been placed to recapture the escaped animal.

 

NOTE: Only humane traps are permitted to capture research animals (See Section E.). Traps must be checked at least daily, including weekends and holidays. The IACUC Office will provide a trap inspection log to record daily trap inspections when live traps are deployed.

 

C. Recapture of Escaped Animal:

 a) For vivarium facilities:

 

i. Any rodent (research or wild) captured in a live trap will immediately be euthanized unless specified by laboratory personnel as indicated in B.a.ii. of this guidance document.  

 

ii. The IACUC Office and Office of the Attending Veterinarian may follow up with labs and vivarium staff for training on preventive measures. 

           

b) For satellite housing and procedure spaces:

 

i. Due to the risk of infectious agents and contamination, euthanasia is generally required. If the recaptured animal is of great importance to the research, the PI may consult with the Campus Veterinarian, who will decide whether quarantine procedures are possible. Laboratories should contact the IACUC Office or the Vivarium Operations Manager for assistance with euthanasia procedures.

 

 D. Capture of Wild Rodents:

When necessary for the prevention or control of wild rodents or predators from incursion into animal housing areas or animal procedure space, the use of live traps or lethal traps (e.g., snap traps and spin traps) may be authorized by the Attending Veterinarian. Traps must be checked daily. Rodent glue traps must not be used. Glue traps for insect monitoring can be used but should be designed to prevent rodent capture. The Principal Investigators should be consulted before pesticides or other chemical substances are used in animal areas or around caging, food, or other items that could contact research animals.

 

E. Use of Live Traps:

Only live traps may be used to capture escaped rodents. Live traps are humane traps. Once they are opened, they are considered active and must be checked, at a minimum, daily, including weekends and holidays. These checks must be logged. This is required at any location where live traps are used, whether in satellite facilities, the vivarium, or procedure spaces. Traps that cannot be checked daily must be closed and removed from the area, including in satellite locations with periods of inactivity. Using sticky or adhesive traps for rodents is considered inhumane and strictly prohibited.

 

IV: References

Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, Latest edition

AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals, Latest edition

 

Approved: 06/10/2024