East Georgia State College Policy for Animal Care & Use
Adopted by President’s Cabinet 7/28/15
It is the policy of East Georgia State College that animals used in research and teaching will receive humane treatment and care at all times. 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 all unnecessary suffering and injury to the animals. The Principal Investigator must be prepared to terminate the experiment when continuation may result in unnecessary injury or suffering to the animals. No experimentation or breeding of vertebrate animals will be conducted without an approved Animal Care and Use Protocol.
Procedures involving animals should be designed and performed with due consideration of their relevance to human or animal health, the advancement of biological knowledge, or the good of society. The animals selected for a procedure should be an appropriate model and the minimum number required to obtain scientifically valid results. Alternatives, such as, statistical analysis, mathematical models, or in vitro biological systems, will be used when appropriate to replace animal use or reduce the number of animals used.
Procedures with animals that may cause pain or distress should be performed with appropriate sedation, analgesia, or anesthesia. Surgery and painful procedures shall not be performed on unanesthetized animals paralyzed by chemical agents. Animals that would otherwise suffer severe or chronic pain or distress that cannot be relieved should be painlessly euthanized as soon as possible.
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, administration of medication and euthanasia will be conducted as recommended by the Principal Investigator after consideration of the appropriate animal care standards dictated by the particular animal and use, and after consultation with the Veterinarian Consultant. Animal care programs throughout the Institution will be supervised by the Animal Care and Use Committee.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee will review proposals and protocols for all teaching and research projects intending to use live vertebrate animals. The Veterinarian Consultant serves on the Animal Care and Use Committee, is appointed by the President, and has the duties described above. Animal Study Proposals and protocols will describe, in detail, methods to be used for animal care and assurance of humane treatment during experimentation. Committee approval is essential prior to initiation of the investigation or demonstration. The committee will monitor care and use of vertebrate animals at East Georgia State College. The committee will evaluate animal husbandry, facility and laboratory suitability, research procedures, and teaching practices where animals are involved. Requirements published in The Guide for the Care and Use of Animals by the National Institutes of Health are standards for animal care and will be used, with USDA regulations, by the committee in the evaluation. In addition, in summary, it is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator conducting animal studies and the committee monitoring the program to assure humane treatment of animals. Assurance is required by the public and by the granting agencies that animals will be used responsibly and with every consideration given for elimination of distress and discomfort. The institution is committed to providing such responsible use and considerate care for animal subjects used for teaching and research.
