Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) ensures the safety and welfare of live vertebrate animals used in research at Pacific Union College. Proposals typically come to the committee from academic departments in which faculty mentors guide their students in course-based observation and research with live vertebrate animals.
The U.S. Animal Welfare Act (AWA) regulates live or dead warm-blooded animals used for research, testing, exhibition, or pet dealing. Enforced by the USDA APHIS, covered species include dogs, cats, non-human primates, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, and non-research birds, while explicitly excluding specific groups.
Covered Species
- Dogs and cats
- Non-human primates
- Guinea pigs and hamsters
- Rabbits
- Other warm-blooded mammals (such as sheep, goats, or farm animals used in biomedical research)
- Birds (except those specifically bred for research)
Excluded Species
- Rats (Rattus) bred for research
- Mice (Mus) bred for research
- Birds (bred for research)
- Cold-blooded animals (fish, reptiles, amphibians)
- Agricultural livestock (horses not used in research and farm animals raised for food or fiber)
There are two basic components to receiving IACUC approval; 1) submission and review of your IACUC protocol application and 2) ensuring those involved in handling live vertebrate animals on the project have received the appropriate training.
The IACUC will review Animal Use Protocols (AUPs) for any proposed activity or research project that involves the use of live vertebrate animals. The IACUC must ensure that appropriate steps are taken to protect the rights and welfare of animals.
When to Submit an IACUC Animal Use Protocol
- When using animals in teaching, testing, or research — even if the work is at a field site or in a non-university facility, the same IACUC review applies
- New research involving live vertebrate animals — you must have a completed, approved protocol before starting any animal-related activities
- When an existing protocol is approaching its expiration date — protocols are typically reviewed and approved every 3 years
- When you make changes to an approved protocol — any amendment or modification must be submitted for IACUC approval before implementation
Important compliance points
- Do not begin animal-related activities until you have final IACUC approval for your protocol or amendment
- All team members handling animals must complete required training before work begins
- Protocols must include details such as species, housing, procedures, pain/distress minimization, and final disposition
Project Category
You will be asked to select the category that best describes your project. If your project includes more than one, select the category representing the most invasive activity and describe all procedures in the protocol.
| Project Category | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching/Demonstration | Live animals are used for instructional purposes, demonstrations, or training exercises. Activities may include observation, handling, or educational procedures approved for teaching and are not conducted to answer a research question. | Animal handling laboratories, behavioral observation labs, wildlife handling training, educational outreach demonstrations. |
| Field Observation (Non-invasive) | Animals are observed in their natural environment without capture, handling, restraint, marking, or other disturbance beyond normal human presence. | Behavioral observations, visual surveys, photography, bird counts, camera traps, acoustic monitoring, fecal collection after animals have left. |
| Field Research (Capture/Handling) | Animals are studied in the field and will be captured, handled, restrained, marked, sampled, or otherwise physically manipulated before release. | Mist-netting birds, live-trapping mammals, PIT tagging, blood collection, swabbing, attaching GPS transmitters, anesthesia in the field. |
| Laboratory Research (Animal Handling/Procedures) | Animals are housed or maintained in a laboratory or captive setting and will undergo handling and/or experimental procedures. | Husbandry, injections, surgery, behavioral experiments, blood collection, euthanasia, tissue collection, breeding studies. |
Submission Deadlines
Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarter Submission and Decision Schedule (submissions are not accepted during the summer break)
| New/Revised Application Submission Deadline | IRB Decision (approval or revisions required) |
|---|---|
| Week 3 (Friday at 5 pm) | Week 4 (Friday at 5 pm) |
| Week 5 (Friday at 5 pm) | Week 6 (Friday at 5 pm) |
| Week 9 (Friday at 5 pm) | Week 10 (Friday at 5 pm) |
IACUC Standard Operating Procedure
Applicants should anticipate a two-to-four-week processing time for the IACUC to review their animal use protocol during regular academic sessions. When school is not in session, the processing time may be longer. The IACUS is Chaired by the Dean of the School of Sciences and usually meets as noted in the above calendar. Email irb@puc.edu with your questions.
For information about human subjects research guidelines Institutional Review Board (IRB) - Pacific Union College.
Under federal guidelines, IACUC approval of an animal use protocol is valid for a maximum of three years.