By
Ed Slauter, D.V.M.
Veterinary Medical Officer
United States Department of Agriculture
APHIS/Animal Care
This paper was originally presented at the 1998 Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange conference held in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Animal Welfare Act mandates that each research facility shall provide for the training of scientists, animal technicians, and other personnel involved with animal care and treatment in the facility.
Title 9 - Code of Federal Regulations - Chapter 1, Subchapter A - Animal Welfare §2.32 gives specific requirements for training as follows:
(a) It shall be the responsibility of the research facility to ensure that all scientists, research technicians, animal technicians, and other personnel involved in animal care, treatment, and use are qualified to perform their duties. This responsibi lity shall be fulfilled in part through the provision of training and instruction to those personnel.
(b) Training and instruction shall be made available, and qualifications of personnel reviewed, with sufficient frequency to fulfill the research facility's responsibilities under this section and §2.3 1.
(c) Training and instruction of personnel must include guidance in at least the following areas:
(1) Humane methods of animal maintenance and experimentation, including:
(i) The basic needs of each species of animal;
(ii) Proper handling and care for the various species of animals used by the facility.
(iii) Proper pre-procedural and post-procedural care of animals; and
(iv) Aseptic surgical methods and procedures.
(2) The concept, availability, and use of research or testing methods that limit the use of animals or minimize animal distress.
(3) Proper use of anesthetics, analgesics, and tranquilizers for any species of animals used by the facility.
(4) Methods whereby deficiencies in animal care and treatment are reported, including deficiencies in animal care and treatment reported by any employee of the facility. No facility employee, committee member, or laboratory personnel shall be discrimi nated against or be subject to any reprisal for reporting violations of any regulation or standards under the Act,
(5) Utilization of Services (e.g., National Agricultural Library, National Library of Medicine) available to provide information;
(i)On appropriate methods of animal care and use;
(ii) On alternatives to the use of live animals in research;
(iii) That could prevent unintended and unnecessary duplication of research involving animals; and
(iv) Regarding the intent and regulation of the Act.
The IACUC of each research facility is charged with the responsibility of reviewing on a semi-annual basis the research facility's entire program for humane care and use of animals. A vital component of every program is the training of all personnel i nvolved in animal care, treatment, and use. The IACUC must determine that all personnel conducting procedures on animals being maintained or studied are appropriately qualified and trained in those procedures.
The USDA veterinary medical officer, when inspecting a research facility, has the challenging task of evaluating the facility's overall training program. This evaluation process should involve asking the following questions:
Is training and instruction available to all personnel involved in animal care, treatment, and use?
Does the training program include guidance in all areas listed in §2.32 - Personnel qualifications of the regulations?
Is there adequate documentation of qualifications and training of personnel?
Has the IACUC been provided sufficient documentation for it to fulfill its tasks of reviewing qualifications and training of all personnel involved in all proposed or ongoing activities?
Does the semi-annual program review of animal care and use include personnel qualifications and training?
Has there been input and oversight by the attending veterinarian toward an effective training program?
Are procedures being adequately monitored to ensure competency in situations such as new or inexperienced personnel?
How does the facility assess training needs of personnel on an ongoing basis?
Is there a training program for the IACUC members, especially the non-affiliated member?
Are there written guidelines and training for animal pain or distress assessment that is relevant to the research work at the facility?
Are investigators adequately training on how to conduct and document a search for alternatives to painful or distressful procedures?
Have protocols been developed for animals being used for procedure training for technicians or investigators?
A responsible training program should be in place at each research facility. Each training program may vary from one facility to another depending on the type of research being conducted and the needs of the facility. When a VMO reviews a training pro gram, professional judgment is critical. Documentation is important, but the "results" of a training program are the primary consideration.
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The Animal Welfare Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service
National Agricultural Library
10301 Baltimore Ave.
Beltsville, MD 20705-2351
Phone: (301) 504-6212
FAX: (301) 504-7125
E-mail: awic@nal.usda.gov
