Research Guidelines for Vertebrate Animal Use

This section of the Stetson University website provides the procedures that must be followed by members of the Stetson Community whose proposed or on-going training, research, or teaching (hereafter referred to as a “study”) uses live vertebrate animals. It outlines the procedures for preparing and submitting an application for a study’s approval to Stetson’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Animal Welfare Act

The Animal Welfare Act requires that anyone (staff, students, and investigators) who intervenes in the lives of live vertebrate animals or their environments complete a comprehensive training workshop provided by an IACUC. The IACUC will also review all husbandry and research protocols for proposed vertebrate animal research, and regularly inspect all facilities on campus where animals are housed. All studies involving vertebrate animals must be approved by the IACUC, with the goal of safeguarding the welfare of experimental vertebrate animals and promoting best practices in professional research. 

Institutional Animal Use and Care Committee (IACUC)

The IACUC ensures compliance with the policies of the Public Health Service and the Federal Office of Animal Welfare, and reports to the Institutional Officer. Stetson University’s Institutional Officer is Dr. Rosalie Richards, Associate Provost for Faculty Development.

The Institutional Officer periodically appoints members to the IACUC. This committee comprises four Stetson faculty members, a veterinarian, and members of the broader community who have no association with Stetson University. The current members of the IACUC are as follows:

• Dr. Melissa Gibbs, Professor of Biology and Chair of the IACUC
• Veterinarian and Small Animal Specialist
• Associate Professor of Sociology
• Associate Professor of Physics
• Professor of French
• Community Representative and Retired Power Company Linesman

Resources

Application Procedure for Approval of a Research Study Involving Live Vertebrate Animals
IACUC Training
IACUC Webpage
Submission of Reports to the IACUC
Reference Materials

• Title 9 – Animals and Animal Products: Chapter I, Subchapter A, Parts 1, 2, and 3 – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture (Animal Welfare Act).
• Education and Training in the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: A Guide for Developing Institutional Programs. 1991. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.
• Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals. 1997. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.
• Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. 2002. Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
• Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8th Ed. 2011. National Research Council, Washington, DC. (the Guide).