1. Entry Requirements and Restrictions

• 1.1. SECURITY PASS REQUIREMENTS - Prior to obtaining facility entry privileges individuals must...

  • Be added to an approved Animal Use Protocol
  • Complete and submit a Health Sciences Facility and/or a West Valley Facility Request for Card Access form.
  • Attend the Health Sciences Animal Care Facility Orientation Session. 
• 1.2. SECURITY PASS USE - All personnel must have and display a valid security pass. 

  • Individuals not in possession of a valid security pass will be asked to leave the facility.
  • Individuals who lend their cards may have their privileges revoked.
• 1.3. TRAINING REQUIREMENT OVERVIEW - For an overview of training requirements see Overview of Training and Protocol Requirements.
  • Entry into other areas of the facility require additional training, as outlined under the specific areas below.
• 1.4. VISITOR FACILITY ACCESS - Visitors are NOT permitted unless cleared in advance with ACVS. All visitors must sign 'in' and 'out' at the main desk and must be accompanied by an ACVS staff member (or designate) at all times.
• 1.5. SUPERVISORS' RESPONSIBILITY - Supervisors are responsible for notifying ACVS when individuals leave the University, or no longer require facility access.

2. Safety

• Food Allergies - Due to allergy concerns, the facility is a PEANUT-FREE area with the exception of the lunch rooms. 
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are available in the lunchrooms.
• Eyewash Stations - Contact the facility manager for specific locations.
• First Aid Kits - Contact the facility manager for specific locations.
• Fire Exits - Familiarize yourself with fire exits.
• UWO Medical Emergencies - Familiarize yourself with the information on the UWO Medical Emergencies poster shown below

3. Emergency Numbers

• Police/Fire/Ambulance - CALL 911
• Building Emergencies - ext. 83300
• Veterinary & Non Veterinary Facility Emergencies - Reference the Facility Orientation Resource Book or the M510 Main Office Door

4. Animal Procurement

4.1. SUPPLIERS

4.1.1. Supplier Types

• Commercial Orders - Use the Health Sciences & West Valley Facilities Commercial Animal Requisition Form to request animals sourced from AUS-approved commercial animal suppliers, e.g. Charles River, Jackson Labs, to be associated with the Health Sciences Animal Care Facility or the West Valley Facility only. 
• Non-Commercial Orders – For the following types of non-commercial sources, obtain the Health Sciences Animal Care Facility Non-Commercial Animal Request Form
  • Non-Commercial – All animals that do not come from commercial stock via standard lab suppliers;
  • Citywide Non-Commercial Sources - Facilities or protocols affiliated with Western involving AUS authorized protocols, e.g. Robarts Barrier Facility or a different AUS approved protocol.  
  • External Sources -  Animal transfers to HSACF or West Valley Facility from an institution not affiliated with Western and not having AUS authorized protocols, e.g. from University of Kentucky to HSACF

4.1.2. Other Supplier Detail

• Only animals ordered from standard suppliers are immediately approved by ACVS. 
• Orders for animals from non-approved suppliers require more lead time to process.  Information on animal health status is required from the supplier for ACVS approval.  In addition, non-standard source animals usually undergo quarantine and health testing prior to release to area of choice within the animal facility. 
• Surcharges may apply for orders that require additional time in sourcing, obtaining records and testing.

4.2. REQUISITION FORM GUIDELINES

4.2.1. Form Authorization

The Principal Investigator (PI) holding the related protocol must be copied on the requisition submission email. The email sender and copied PI are presumed to authorize the requisition, including the use of a new charge account number. 

The Primary Research Technician Responsible for Animal Care (form Section II) of the animals requested within the form is required to have the following:

• AUS Authorization - The Primary Research Technician responsible for animal care must be added to the protocol via an AUS protocol form prior to animal requisition submission.  Go to the AUS Protocol Review web page:
• Facility Card Access & Related Training – The Primary Research Technician responsible for animal care must have a currently active Facility Access Card and adequate facility training.  Link above for Entry Requirements and Restrictions

4.2.2. Form Submission Method & Deadline

ALL requisition forms must be submitted electronically to BEFORE 2 p.m. on MONDAYS in order to be processed the following day for delivery the following week. Orders that must be placed after this deadline or changes to orders already processed will be subject to an administrative service charge.

• Any orders submitted after this deadline will be processed the following week.

• Email form receipt confirmation will be sent by the Animal Ordering Office.  If an email receipt sent by the Animal Ordering Office is not received by 11 a.m. Tuesday, please contact the Animal Ordering Office directly .
• ACVS does not accept responsibility for any UWO server problems.

4.2.3. Form Content

• Completion Requirement – Only those orders that can be filled exactly as requested will be placed. 
• Discrepancies - If there are discrepancies or ordering problems, attempts will be made to contact the Requestor (form Sect.III). If unable to do so, the order will not be placed.
• Protocol Status – Only currently active protocols having remaining authorized animal numbers may order animals. In addition, active protocols may order only as many animals as are approved on the protocol.
• Charge Account Changes - Any charge account changes must be authorized directly by the Principal Investigator (PI). To make changes, ensure PI is copied on email order involving new account.
• Late Orders - It is understood that occasionally urgent situations do arise and that special orders may need to be placed. In this situation an administrative fee of $100.00 will be added to the usual charges for the extra administrative time it takes to redo the facility order to include late animals.

4.2.4. Form Template

Link here to the HSACF & WV Commercial Animal Requisition form template and form instruction document.

 

4.3. ARRIVAL INFORMATION & PROCESSES

4.3.1. Schedules

Contact the Animal Ordering Office by email using to request arrival schedules and confirmation, or view the ACVS Main Office (M510) bulletin board for Delivery Schedule details.

4.3.2. Holding Period

SOP 310-03 states: "Animals arriving at any of the animal facilities in London are required to undergo a 72 hour Holding Period to allow them to acclimatize to the stresses of transportation and to adjust to a new environment. During this period no experimental procedures may be performed.

Chronic Studies: Animals may not be used until 72 hours after arrival

• Holding Period Exemptions - Exempted animals are those immediately euthanized for tissues and not held in an animal housing facility, and protocols for which AUS permission for deviation from the SOP has been provided. For SOP 310 - Holding Period Post Admission detail, link to Veterinary Services SOPs

4.3.3. Facility & Animal Training

Although animal orders may be submitted in advance of training, involved research staff must complete any outstanding CCAC-mandated animal and/or facility-specific (e.g. Barrier, Facility Orientation) training in advance of animal use.

• Animal Training - Link to Veterinary Services Teaching & Courses web page for CCAC-mandated animal training requirements
• Facility Training - See Entry Requirements and Restrictions for Health Sciences Animal Care Facility and West Valley facility training requirements

 

5. Animal Tracking & Billing

SIRIUS CAGE CARD TYPES

Sirius Cage Card	Sirius Cage Label
Full Sirius Cage Cards normally produced for Commercial Requisitions	Sirius Cage Labels produced for cage separations and other transfer changes.

5.2. EMPTY CAGES

Once cages are empty, related cage cards must be placed in the Sacrifice Bin outside the main office (M510) in order to deactivate the card and end related per diem charges.  

5.3. MISSING CAGE CARDS

In the event that cage cards are discovered missing for at least two weeks by the Census Administrator, the Primary Research Technician responsible for animal care will be contacted. By the third week, the Principal Investigator (form Sect. I) will be contacted directly.

6. Separating Animals

6.1. COLOURED CAGE CARDS

Rodents are usually held in groups.  If it is necessary to separate the animals into new cages for any reason, complete a new coloured cage card template, as follows:

6.1.1. Card Purpose

• Pink cards should only be used when separating weaned pups into new cages apart from the mom. Animals contained within cages that have been tagged with pink cards will be considered newly 'used,' and will be counted against the protocol's authorized numbers at that time.
• Blue cards should be used for new cages involving previously counted animals for other separations, including research requirements, fighting and overcrowding. 
• Green Transfer Cards should be used for new cages involving a protocol number that is different from the original cage (see Sect. 8.)

6.1.2. Card Completion

Coloured card templates are located in animal and clean cage rooms. Once complete, place either the blue or pink card in the cage card holder located on the cage front. Both card colours require the same information.

Sample blue cage card below: 

6.1.3. Important Related Procedures

• Following the cage separation, please revise the '# in cage' information on the original cage card. 
• Ensure the new cage contains food and water.

6.2. COLOURED CAGE CARD PROCESSING

Once coloured cage card information is received by the census administrator, a cage label will be generated by the Sirius program.  This cage label assigns a barcode number to the cage as well as specifying per diem charges.  Once produced, the label is placed behind the pink or blue cage cards.

7. Animal Health Records

In accordance with federal and provincial regulations, animal health records must remain with the animals. Consequently, up-to-date within-room health records must be maintained and readily available. For your convenience, each animal housing room has been provided with an Animal Observation and Treatment Record. See the SOP 'Animal Records' with associated cage card templates and examples. You can also print a copy of Animal Health Record Expectations.

8. Animal Transfers within HSAC or WV Facilities

For transfers within the Health Sciences Animal Care and West Valley facilities, use the green 'Animal Transfer' card, as follows: 

9. Environmental Enrichment

The following forms relate to the Health Sciences Animal Care and West Valley Facilities :

10.1. FACILITY ACCESS FORMS

• Health Sciences Animal Care Facility Access Request Form - Security card access to HSACF.

• West Valley Facility Access Request Form - Security card access to West Valley Building.

• Robarts Research Institute Access Request Form - Security card access to Robarts Research Institute.

10.2. ANIMAL REQUISITION FORMS

• Health Sciences & West Valley Facilities Commercial Animal Requisition Form -Commercial animal supplier orders for the Health Sciences & West Valley Facilities (see next link for form instructions)
• Commercial Animal Requisition Form Instructions
• HSACF & WV Facilities Non-Commercial Animal Request Form - All non-commercial transfers to Health Sciences & West Valley facilities.

10.3. HSACF and WV PRICE LIST

• Price List - in pdf format

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Last updated on July 13, 2010.