ANIMAL HOUSING 

Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) manages all Iowa State University (ISU) animal facilities other than agricultural animal facilities used by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.  However, LAR may delegate the housing and care of cold blooded animals to the departments using those animals due to unique housing and care requirements.

Assignment of animal housing space is done by the LAR manager of animal care in cooperation with the supervisors of the individual facilities.  Animals will be housed in the facility requested by the PI unless space is not available or the needs of the particular project dictate the use of another facility.

Animals will be housed in conventional caging unless otherwise specified by the PI on the Project Review Form and the Animal Usage Form.  Specific types of caging may be requested by the PI when an animal order is placed .  Per Diem charges are based on the animal species and type of housing.

Many special caging needs may be met by the equipment already in the LAR inventory.  However, if the equipment will be dedicated to a long term project, or is so unique that it will not be useful for other investigators or projects, it then becomes the responsibility of the PI to provide the equipment.

Infectious and recombinant agents are commonly used by some ISU researchers. Animal rooms in most LAR animal facilities are appropriate for housing animals exposed to organisms requiring biocontainment at the Biosafety Level 1 or 2.  A suite of animal rooms at the Veterinary Medical Research Institute meets the requirements for isolation and biocontainment of animals exposed to organisms requiring Biosafety Level 3.

Animals may be removed from an animal facility during experimental procedures, but they may not be held outside a facility for more than 12 hours without written approval from the IACUC.

The animal room entry codes may be obtained from the LAR for combination locks used in Vet Med and A-Wing.  Key cards and keys will be assigned by the LAR Director when these are necessary to enter rooms or animal areas.  Keys are the responsibility of the individual investigator.