Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine reviews protocols involving the use of animals for research or teaching at RUSVM. The goal of the committee is to ensure that the use of animals at RUSVM is always humane and appropriate.

The IACUC follows the three "R's" of animal use and promotes these rules on the RUSVM campus.

Reduce the number of animals used to the minimum required to meet the goals of
the course, experiment, or wet lab.
Refine protocols to minimize animal stress, pain, or suffering.
Replace animal models with non-animal alternatives whenever possible.

Prior to the use of an animal in activities on the RUSVM campus, including teaching, research or wet labs sponsored by student organizations, the IACUC must review the usage protocol and grant approval to the requesting group.

The committee meets approximately once a month during the regular semester to review protocols. Protocols are valid for a maximum of three years but must be reviewed yearly by the IACUC. After three years, when the protocol expires, a de novo resubmission is required for review and approval.

Wet labs have an additional cover sheet, to ensure that arrangements have been made for facilities, use of teaching animals, and for a RUSVM faculty member to be present at the lab. As part of Reduction, no protocols will be considered that substantially duplicate procedures taught as part of the regular RUSVM curriculum.

Links to helpful web sites:
Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (2011)
Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching (2010)