Privately-Owned Animals – IACUC Oversight of Use for Research or Teaching

IACUC Policy: 011-04, Effective Date: 10/2002, Last Revision: 05/18/2018, Last Reviewed: 11/15/2024

Overview/Purpose

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is responsible for reviewing the use of live vertebrate animals used in research, education, and testing at The Ohio State University. If the study is Public Health Service (PHS) or National Science Foundation (NSF) funded, the institution must have an Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) approved Animal Welfare Assurance covering all performance sites and IACUC approval for the research activity. This policy further defines which activities involving the use of privately owned animals require Ohio State IACUC oversight.

While most privately-owned animals used in clinical research and teaching at Ohio State are species covered by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), activities that are medically necessary for treatment or care of privately-owned animals are not considered a regulated activity, however, activities involving research and teaching still require IACUC oversight. If the research involves human subjects requiring Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and utilizes privately owned animals as part of the study, but the animals are not the subject of the research and are not manipulated as part of the research (e.g., strictly research on human subjects), then an IACUC protocol is not required.

Definitions

• Privately owned: owned by a private individual or organization rather than by the state or a public body
• Informed consent form: agreement to allow animals owned privately to participate in research or teaching based on sufficient information (e.g., regarding possible risks and benefits of the activity) and adequate opportunity to consider voluntary participation.

Requirements for Protocol Submission

Use of privately owned animals at a private facility for Ohio State research or teaching

• An IACUC protocol must be submitted and approved for any research or teaching activity which interacts directly with the animal, or which would alter the animal’s environment.
• The Principal Investigator (PI) must provide information regarding the facilities to be used and include either a signed letter from the facility indicating that the research can be conducted at the facility or an example of the informed consent form that will be used (refer to “Collaborations with External Entities: Standard Operating Procedure”).
• Unless specified in the protocol, the private facility remains responsible for care and welfare of animals they own or handle.

Use of privately owned animals at Ohio State facilities/university property

• An IACUC protocol (+/-amendments) must be submitted and approved for research or educational activities utilizing privately owned animals that are brought into Ohio State facilities or property for the purposes of a research project or educational opportunity for Ohio State students. Activities that are continuing education such as 4-H workshops, animal demonstrations, petting zoos, etc… in which owners and their animals attend educational activities and for which the owners maintain control of the animals, an IACUC protocol is not required. An email to IACUCinfo@osu.edu detailing the event and the involvement of animals is recommended. It is also recommended that any college or program work with Ohio State legal office to determine if other documents need to be completed before any animal is brought to campus.
• Privately owned animals used in research projects may be subject to additional oversight at the college level in addition to IACUC oversight. For College of Veterinary Medicine clinical research, an IACUC protocol will be reviewed by an IACUC subcommittee that has representatives from the College of Veterinary Medicine to provide input to the IACUC.
• The informed consent form must be uploaded into the e-Protocol in the timeline section.

Ongoing IACUC oversight of activities involving privately owned animals on university property

• The IACUC accepts the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accreditation oversight for the College of Veterinary Medicine program in the clinical areas where privately owned animals are used. The IACUC has the discretion to require an inspection or request information related to IACUC-approved activities utilizing privately owned animals in the College of Veterinary Medicine clinic areas.
• For other university facilities/property which are not subject to an external accrediting agency, the IACUC will determine the need to inspect the locations on a case-by-case basis.
• Investigators are expected to report the number of animals used for an IACUC protocol (refer to IACUC Policy on tracking animal numbers) using the e-Protocol “Report Animal Number” activity for that protocol.
• Adverse events occurring on IACUC-approved protocols are to be reported to the IACUC in a timely fashion via an email to IACUCinfo@osu.edu.

Ongoing IACUC oversight of activities involving privately owned animals on private property

• The Ohio State IACUC does not inspect privately owned facilities where privately owned research or educational activities take place. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) indicating oversight responsibilities may be prepared for collaborations with other research facilities  (refer to “Collaborations with External Entities: Standard Operating Procedure”).
• Investigators are expected to report the number of animals used for an IACUC protocol (refer to IACUC policy on tracking animal numbers) using the e-Protocol “Report Animal Number” activity.
• Adverse events occurring on IACUC-approved protocols are to be reported to the IACUC in a timely fashion via an email to IACUCinfo@osu.edu.

Applicable Regulations

• Animal Welfare Act (AWA, Public Law 89-544, 7 U.S.C.)
• Animal Welfare Act Regulations (AWAR, 9 CFR, Chapter 1, Subchapter A)
• Health Research Extension Act of 1985 and Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
• National Research Council Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, Eighth Edition. National Academy of Sciences, 2011
• The Federation of Animal Science Societies Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching