Animal Health
During normal business hours (8am – 4:00pm, M-F): Your facility manager. If the manager is unavailable, contact the veterinarian on call. An emergency call list is posted in each facility. Non-emergency clinical case requests can be submitted to [email protected].
After hours, weekends and holidays: Contact the veterinarian on-call. An emergency veterinary call list is posted in each facility.
OLAC sends regular updates on the current health status of rodent colonies to facility managers. Requests for current status can be made to OLAC or the facility manager
In-house laboratory services are available through the UT College of Veterinary Medicine; available services include clinical pathology, parasitology, endocrinology, histology, necropsy, and microbiology.
Rodent viral serology, PCR testing, and genetic monitoring are available through commercial laboratories. Contact OLAC to arrange these services.
Information for Investigators
You must submit a IACUC Protocol Form for Use of Live Vertebrates. Once the IACUC makes a decision regarding the disposition of your protocol, you will receive email notification. Notification of IACUC approval is required before live vertebrate work can begin. Contact the UTK IACUC office at 865-974-3631 or visit the UTK IACUC website for further information.
Once approved, animal users can reach out to their facility manager to make arrangements for ordering animals, housing needs, etc.
The per diem rate charts can be found here:
CVM Laboratory Animal Facility
Mossman Laboratory Animal Facility
Per diem rates recover costs associated with the daily care of animals including caging and equipment, bedding, sanitizing, and PPE. Contact your facility manager for additional service charges (tech time, room rate, etc.) or for housing of species not listed in the per diem charts. Principal investigators can access the manager contact list by logging into the IACUC SharePoint (must request access upon login).
- The animal care and use program at the University of Tennessee is accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC, International).
- The University’s Public Health Service Assurance number is D16-00397.
- The University’s USDA registration number is 63-R-0105.
- Standard grant language
Entrance to all animal facilities is controlled by key and/or card access. Contact your facility manager for information regarding facility authorization.
All acquisition, procurement, or movement of non-agricultural research animals to or from the University of Tennessee animal facilities or laboratories must be specifically approved by the IACUC via an approved protocol, and the attending veterinarian or his/her designee.
See the OLAC Policy on Animal Procurement
Rodents/rabbits from approved vendor sources
- To initiate a request for animals, contact the facility manager where your animals will be housed. The facility manager will provide you with the necessary animal requisition form. Facility managers may order animals from approved vendors without prior approval from OLAC. Approved rodent/rabbit vendors include: Charles River Laboratories, Jackson Labs, Envigo, RSI, and Taconic.
Rodents from non-approved vendors or inter-institutional transfers
- Receipt of rodents from non-approved sources must be approved in advance by OLAC. Because a number of factors may delay shipment and/or use of such animals, requests should made well in advance of intended use.
- The principal investigator must complete and submit an animal requisition form to the facility manager where animals will be housed.
- The facility manager along with the principal investigator must complete appropriate sections of the Rodent History Questionnaire and the Quarantine Procedure forms. To access these forms, click on the drop down box “Receiving Rodent from Non-Approved Vendors” here.
- The completed Rodent History Questionnaire and Rodent Quarantine Procedures forms must be submitted to Chris Carter at [email protected].
- OLAC will contact the institution or vendor of origin to request completion of the Rodent History Questionnaire and submission of monitoring reports.
- After receipt and review of completed documents and recent health monitoring reports, OLAC veterinarians will make a decision regarding importation. If permission is granted, an OLAC veterinarian will specify the duration and intensity of quarantine procedures. Quarantine will involve either contact bedding sentinels and/or direct testing.
Procurement of dogs and cats
- Contact the facility manager where animals will be housed.
To facilitate the approval process and to maintain appropriate records, an Animal Transfer Request form must be submitted to the facility manager who will verify the species, strain, and number of animals against the approved IACUC protocols. The manager can approve animal transfers between protocols of an individual PI. Transfer of animals between two PI’s requires the signature of the attending Veterinarian or his/her designee. The Animal Transfer Request can be found here.
Upon request, OLAC will provide the necessary health reports and facility information to the receiving institution. The receiving institution should email information requests to OLAC.
All animal movement must adhere to the following principles:
Movement of animals must have IACUC approval via a protocol describing the transport and designation of the destination as a study or satellite area.
Transport containers must be sealed and completely covered to inconspicuously conceal the animals during transit.
Animal users can view the Animal Transportation Policy by visiting UTK IACUC website and accessing the UTK Community login page.
A Tennessee research license and a DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) registration are required to procure controlled substances for use in research animals. Please visit UTK Environmental Health and Safety for more information on obtaining a DEA license for research use.
Contact OLAC to make a request or contact the building veterinarian. Additional information can be found by visiting OLAC Services.
All personnel having contact with research and teaching animals should be knowledgeable of the University’s Occupational Health Program. Institutional and federal guidelines mandate that all personnel working with live animals or animal tissues/specimens complete an annual OHP enrollment. Contact the Occupational Health Nurse or visit the Occupational Health website for additional information.
Biological, Chemical, or Radiological hazards: Contact the Lab Safety Office, 865-974-5580
UTIA Safety Office, 865-974-4904
The USDA and AAALAC require yearly animal use reporting. The reporting period of September 30 – October 1 is used for both reports. A request will sent out to PIs and facility managers for numbers of animals used in research and teaching.
Determining Source of Animal
University of Tennessee Owned: Any animal for which UT takes financial responsibility while on campus and will not get charged back to a client/producer/private party. Includes animals in the dog and cat teaching colonies, animals owned by any of the RECs, and animals that UT purchases specifically for research or teaching.
Privately Owned: Includes client-owned pets, producer owned farm animals, leased animals, and animals in the TN Heifer Development Program.
Wildlife: Any vertebrate wildlife including but not limited to bears, bats, skunks, raccoons, fish, birds, salamanders, and others that are not purchased by UT or housed on UT property.
Are the Animals USDA-covered?
USDA-covered animals are those covered by any regulations enforced by the USDA (Animal Welfare Act, Animal Welfare Regulations.) This includes any live or dead, warm-blooded animal being used for research, testing, experimentation, or exhibition excluding mice, rats, and livestock or poultry food, fiber, or standard production. Check the approved protocol and see if the USDA box on the cover page is checked. If yes, the animals on the protocol are covered by USDA regulations. If the box is not checked and does not meet the criteria above – the animal(s) is/are not USDA covered. Pain/distress category (B, C, D, or E) is listed on the cover page of the approved IACUC protocol.
If you observe or have knowledge of activities that you believe constitute inappropriate animal care and use, you are encouraged to report these activities so that they can be investigated.
Concerns or complaints regarding animal usage within UTK should be brought directly to the attention of the people involved whenever possible.
If the concern or complaint cannot be handled directly, or if an individual wishes to report anonymously, it may be handled one of two ways:
If an emergency situation exists, the university attending veterinarian or designee should be contacted immediately. In addition, emergency contact information is posted in each animal facility. The university laboratory animal veterinarian will take any necessary immediate action.
If the situation is not an emergency, the concern or compliant should be submitted to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The committee chairperson will assign an ad hoc investigative committee to investigate the concern and prepare a report for the IACUC. The IACUC will review the concern or complaint, determine what action will be taken, and notify the principal investigator of such action. Anonymous concerns or complaints can be made through the IACUC website.
As per federal regulations, no individual will be discriminated against, or be subject to any reprisal, for reporting noncompliance.