Teaching & Courses

• Mandatory Training
• WebCT - Basic Animal Care and Use Course
• Accessing the Course
• WebCT Log-In
• Animal Care and Use Workshops
  • Policy on Late Arrivals at Workshops
  • Auditing Workshops
  • Auditing WebCT course material
  • Competency Assessments
  • Reassessments following Hands on Sessions
  • Training Sessions
• Other Lectures
• Web Teaching Sites  Including ACVS sponsored Animal User Training for Non-UWO Facilities
• ACVS Research Education Training Course Outlines and Pricing 2012-2013 (pdf)

Mandatory Training

WebCT 'Basic Animal Care and Use Course'

All individuals who work with laboratory animals, including the principal investigator, are required to take the web based 'Basic Animal Care and Use - Course.'  For more information on this requirement please see the university Policy Section 7.0.

Modules

• Ethics
• Animal Care
• Research Issues
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Health

You are able to access the course modules at your leisure and will find self study quizzes in some areas.  These are optional and are intended to help you review the material.  Once all of the modules have been completed there will be a short quiz of 20 questions.  Successful completion (70%) of the test is required.  For more information on this requirement please see the university Policy Section 7.0.

Your name must first be listed on an approved Animal Use Protocol (AUP). If you are not, the Principal Investigator (PI) must submit a 'Minor Modification' to the Animal Use Subcommittee (AUS.)

Once that information is received and processed, a Research Education staff member will automatically register you for this course as well as the relevant workshops and associated WebCT. You will then receive a registration email to inform you that you have access to the courses. If applicable, dates for hands-on workshops will be set at the same time and will be included on the email.

Before you attempt to log on for the first time

• Check your browser to ensure that it is compatible with WebCT
• Disable any cookie blockers.  Go to Tools/Options (or Internet Options)/Privacy allow cookies.  If you have other firewall protection you may have to call the Help Desk 83800 or your internet provider.
• Make a note of who you can contact if you need help.
• Check out the common problems that are encountered.

If after completing all of the above checks you still have problems logging on

• There is an online form that you can submit to ITS.
• At the bottom of the form there is a section ' Description of your Problem' be sure to indicate that you are in the Animal Care and Use Course as well as describing the problem.
• Click here for Online Form

  If you have a non-UWO email address, DO NOT forget your password.  The ITS Help Desk will be unable to help you.

Animal Care and Use Workshops: General Information

Anyone involved in the handling or monitoring of research animals is required to take all applicable workshops and/or WebCT training sessions. If you require specialized training in animal care and use skills, please email 

Ad hoc  workshops or Training Sessions composed of two or more workshops can be arranged for large groups from a single lab.  We can also provide proficiency certificates for individuals who have not attended workshops, but have considerable expertise in a given area. 

Workshops have been grouped into 'training sessions'  in order to provide sequential training for the most frequently requested information.  The training sessions and workshops are ‘hands-on’ so be prepared to participate.  You will receive information on location and of any prerequisites such as completion of a WebCT segment.  WebCT sessions and quizzes must be completed prior to attending the workshop.

1. In order to attend workshops you must be listed on an approved Animal Use Protocol (AUP) as performing animal procedures that match workshops requested.
2. Please see the section on Registering for Access to the Course.

Limited space is available for individuals who would like to audit workshops. Individuals who qualify for assessments but want to be sure that their procedures are current and technicians studying for CALAS certification may find this option attractive. This does not include any hands-on instruction.

Individuals who qualify for assessments but want to be sure that their knowledge base with regard to animal care and use is up to date and technicians studying for CALAS certification may find this option attractive. This cost does not include access to the quizzes.

We will be offering regulary scheduled sessions for individuals with extensive experience in animal care and use but who have not yet completed hands on training. There will be no instruction or coaching, individuals will be asked to perform different skills and assessed on their performance. It is recommended that those interested in this route audit the appropriate WebCT Course Material and/or Workhops to ensure that their skills and procedures are in complicance with current standards. During the session participants will be asked to demonstrate skills as mandated by their Animal Use Protocols .

If you have access to Animal Care and Use Web CT these sessions will be listed on the training calendar. If you do not currently have access please contact the training coordinator at Please reserve a space at least a week in advance if you are interested in attending.

Click Here To Return To Top

Training Sessions

A Training Session is a group of workshops that are presented sequentially. The individual workshops build on each other to reinforce skills and provide students with expertise in some common areas of laboratory animal care and use. 

For more information on our training sessions and workshops, please see our Research Education Training Course Outlines and Pricing.

Click Here To Return To Top

Veterinarians are available to provide lectures in undergraduate courses on ethics, handling, regulations, anaesthesia etc.   Power Point presentations are used.  We provide copies of handout material to the department for duplication.  This service is at no charge to the department but we do request that sufficient preparation time be given.  For additional information please contact .

Web Teaching Sites  

Animal User Training Program:   This program is provided by the University of Western Ontario.  It provides content in compliance with the Canadian Council on Animal Care's  'Core A' as well as several pre-laboratory sessions in areas such as Lab Animal Monitoring to Techniques in the Mouse and Rat.

Blood collection using the saphenous vein:     A very useful blood collection technique

Methods of Blood Collection in the Mouse: This site outliines numerous collection methods. At Western, special approval must be obtained to use the retro-orbital method .

Techniques for blood collection in pigs:  Including pictures of the techniques

Bio methodology of Laboratory Animals: This site is provided by the University of Iowa and provides both text and picture.

The Virtual Mouse Necropsy:  Do a mouse post-mortem on line

The Virtual Frog Dissection Kit: A review of Frog Anatomy

Last updated on April 27, 2012