ARC Policies
- General
- Audio and Video Recording of Institutionally Owned Animals (approved 2/2023)
- Authority of the Attending Veterinarian (reviewed 8/2022)
- Investigating Allegations of Mistreatment or Other Noncompliance Issues (revised 1/2026)
- Monitoring Laboratory Animals (revised 2/2023)
- Mouse and Rat User Training (approved 4/2025)
- Notification of Investigators with Sick or Injured Animals (revised 6/2023)
- Reporting Adverse Events (approved 2/2023)
- Reporting Allegations of Mistreatment or Other Noncompliance Issues (revised 1/2024)
- Review of Significant Changes to Previously Approved Protocols (revised 4/2017, updated 8/2025)
- Treatment and Use of Animals Under Expired Protocols (revised 2/2023)
- Procedures
- Blood Collection from Laboratory Animals (revised 8/2024)
- Use of Fluids and Diluted Drugs in Research Animals (approved 3/2023)
- Tissue Collection for DNA Extraction for Genotyping in Rodents (revised 8/2024)
- Toe-Clipping for Animal Identification (revised 4/2023)
- Special Consideration
- Care of Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis (EAE) Mice (revised 11/2025)
- Maintenance of Chronic Implants (revised 9/2024)
- Neuromuscular Blocking Agents (revised 11/2024)
- Pain Categorization for Animals Involved in Experiments Using Electrical Shock Stimulation (revised 9/2024)
- Physical Restraint of Unanesthetized Animals (revised 10/2024)
- Restricted Access to Food (revised 3/2026)
- Restricted Access to Water (revised 4/2025)
- Status Epilepticus in Rodents (revised 12/2009)
- Tumor Development in Rodents (revised 11/2024, updated 2/2026)
- Use of Adjuvants in Animals (approved 2/2026)
- Euthanasia
- Euthanasia of Adult Rodents by Physical Methods (revised 9/2024)
- Euthanasia of Fetuses and Neonates - Mice and Rats (revised 2/2024)
- Humane Treatment and Endpoints (revised 10/2024)
- PHS Policy Clarification Regarding Use of Carbon Dioxide for Euthanasia of Small Laboratory Animals, NIH Notice, issued July 17, 2002
- Rodent CO2 Euthanasia (revised 7/2023)
- Use of Ether for Anesthesia or Euthanasia (reviewed 2/2023)
- Surgery
- Expired Medical Materials (revised 3/2023)
- Multiple Survival Surgeries (revised 3/2026)
- Non-survival Surgical Procedures (revised 3/2026)
- Post-operative Analgesia (revised 6/2010)
- Procedures Performed on USDA-Covered Species Involving the Use of General Anesthesia (revised 12/2022, updated 1/2011)
- Survival Surgery in Mice, Rats, and Birds (revised 8/2014)
- Survival Surgery in USDA-Covered Species (revised 12/2013)
- Use of Investigator-Maintained Survival Surgical Facilities for Non-USDA-Covered Species (revised 8/2023)
- Use of Pharmaceutical-Grade Compounds (revised 9/2023)
- Animal Care, Management, and Housing
- Acclimation and Quarantine (revised 11/2025)
- Acquisition, Tracking and Reporting Animal Numbers (revised 8/2025)
- Breeding Colony Management (revised 10/2024)
- Environmental Enrichment (revised 1/2024)
- Maintaining Animals in Study Areas (revised 12/2025)
- Social Housing (revised 1/2024)
- Animal Transport
- Animal Export (revised 1/2023)
- Animal Use in Human Clinical Facilities (revised 1/2023)
- Transporting Animals in Public Access Areas and Off Campus (revised 8/2021)
- Other
- Assigning Correction Deadlines (revised 10/2024)
- Use of Fertilized Non-Mammalian Embryos (revised 2/2023)
Administrative Oversight of Animal Care and Use
Instructions for Animal Use Protocols
- When to Submit an Application to Use Animal Subjects
- Basic Instructions for Completing the Application
- Meeting Schedule and Submission Deadlines
- Pre-Committee Review
- Approval Notification
- Modification to an Approved Protocol
- Experimental Design & Justification for Requested Number of Animals
- Personnel Qualifications and Certification Program
- Research Involving Hazardous Agents
- Breeding Colonies
- Training Grants
Animal Acquisition and Housing
Occupational Health and Safety
- Medical History Questionnaire
- Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals
- Safety Procedures in the Use of Laboratory Animals
Veterinary Care
- Division of Laboratory and Animal Medicine
- Preventive Medicine
- Surveillance, Diagnosis, Treatment and Control of Disease
- Surgery and Postsurgical Care
- Euthanasia
Selecting a Model for Research
Alternatives to the Use of Animals in Research
- Alternatives to the Use of Animals in Research
- Modification of Existing Animal Use
- Use of Animal Derived Material
- Chemical, Physical and Mechanical Models
- Mathematical and Computer Models
- Legislative Mandate for the Development of Alternatives to Animal Use
Ethical and Humane Considerations in the Use of Animals for Research and Teaching
- Ethical Positions on Animal Use
- Subjective Experience in Animals
- Captivity and Suffering
- Recognizing Signs of Distress in Laboratory Animals
Page Last Updated: March 31, 2026