Adoption of Research/Teaching Animals

This policy provides information as to what is required before animals owned by Ohio State may be adopted at the end of the study.

Requirements

If animals are intended to be adopted following completion of a study, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocol final disposition should include “adoption” as a potential outcome. The adoption process must be coordinated through the Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge (ERIK) Attending Veterinarian who will ensure completion of the required adoption form, if applicable. In the case of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-covered species, the ERIK Attending Veterinarian or a College of Veterinary Medicine Behavioral Specialist will perform an assessment of the animal and determine if it has a behavioral profile appropriate for adoption.

Attempts to identify potential homes for these research animals must be done discreetly, and under no circumstances will animals be transferred to an intermediate handler (Humane Society, County Shelter, foster home) for placement. Emails to list serves, posting on social media, and posting pictures of animals to be adopted in public areas are not considered discreet. Animals used in biohazardous research or ones with physical or behavioral abnormalities are not good candidates for adoption and will not be adopted out.

Revision History

028-00 – new policy approved 10/2002
028-01 – included more details as to what was required before animals could be adopted, approved 09/21/2007
028-02 – clarified what is meant by discreet attempt to find new homes, approved 01/21/2011
028-03 – removed information about the transfer of animals between protocols 09/18/2015
028.04 – minor grammatical changes 08/17/2018
028-05 – minor update to non-discreet examples 08/20/2021
028-06 – must statement added 05/17/2024

Online URL: https://ohiostateresearch.knowledgebase.co/article/adoption-of-research-teaching-animals-33.html