Transportation of Live Vertebrate Animals

Purpose: Transportation of animals between institutions, between commercial and non-commercial sources and the research facility, and across buildings and laboratories is often essential for successful conduct of research, testing and teaching activities. Successful transportation of animals requires careful planning in order to ensure animal safety and well-being (based on the Guide, p. 107)

This policy will help to ensure that all live, vertebrate animals used in research, testing and teaching will be transported in a manner that prevents or minimizes injury or illness, provides an appropriate level of biosecurity, minimizes zoonotic risks and transport time, protects against environmental extremes, avoids overcrowding, provides for the animals' physical, physiological, or behavioral needs and comfort, and discourages observation by the public (based on the Guide, p. 107). 

The policy and procedures described below provide guidance to all investigators on how to safely transport animals across UO facilities and between UO facilities and off campus sites. It is essential to follow these procedures to ensure the health and well-being of research animals, as well as the health of research personnel engaged in the transportation, and any individuals that may indirectly come in contact with the animals or vehicles used to transport the animals.

Scope: For all animal care and research personnel who will be transporting animals.

Background/Definitions: 

animal biosecurity: All measures taken to identify, contain, prevent, and eradicate known or unknown infections that may cause clinical disease or alter physiologic and behavioral responses or otherwise make the animals unsuitable for research. (Guide, pg. 109)

zoonotic disease: Zoonotic diseases are contagious diseases, caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi, that are carried by animals and insects spread between animals and humans. 

Relevant excerpts from the Guide (pages 107-108):

1. Animal transportation may be intrainstitutional, interinstitutional or between a commercial or non-commercial source and a research facility. For wildlife, transportation may occur between the capture site and field holding facilities. Careful planning for all types of transportation should occur to ensure animal safety and well-being. The process of transportation should provide an appropriate level of animal biosecurity while minimizing zoonotic risks, protecting against environmental extremes, avoiding overcrowding, providing for animal physical, physiologic or behavioral needs and comfort, and protecting the animals and personnel from physical trauma.

2. Movement of animals within or between sites or institutions should be planned and coordinated by responsible and well-trained persons at the sending and receiving sites to minimize animal transit time or delays in receipt. Defining and delegating this responsibility to the appropriate persons, who are knowledgeable about the needs of the species being shipped, will help ensure effective communication and planning of animal transport.

3. For both commercial and non-commercial sources of animals, it is important for the veterinarian or the veterinarian’s designee to review the health status and other housing and husbandry requirements prior to authorizing shipment of animals. This will ensure that effective quarantine practices are implemented for incoming animals as well as addressing any special requirements needed to ensure animal well-being.

Policy: 

General Guidelines

  1. Transporting animals outside an animal facility must be described in the IACUC approved protocol. Specific locations outside of the central animal facility where animals will be taken must be identified in the IACUC approved protocol.
  2. Live animals (excluding animals that are being shipped) cannot remain outside of approved housing facilities for more than 12 hours unless specifically approved in the IACUC protocol.
  3. Each person transporting animals should be approved to handle animals by appropriate inclusion in the IACUC approved protocol and has been trained with this policy and other related transportation SOPs.
  4. Persons transporting animals must follow all applicable operating procedures for every location visited (Facility SOPs) such as eligibility for entry, traffic flow, labeling, tracking and locations for animal handling.
  5. Persons transporting animals must follow all applicable additional safety precautions established by other committees (e.g. Biosafety, Radiation Safety, Chemical Safety).
  6. Plan all transportation of animals, including intra-institutional transportation, to:

    a)   minimize risk of zoonotic diseases and risk of allergens

    b)    minimize transit time

    c)    prevent escape 

    d)    protect against environmental extremes

    e)    protect against any physical or physiological trauma to the animal during transport

    f)     avoid overcrowding
  7. Physically separate the animals by species to prevent interspecies disease transmission and to eliminate anxiety and possible physiological and behavioral changes due to interspecies conflict.
  8. All containers used to transport animals must be species-appropriate and must withstand sanitizing procedures or be a single-use, disposable type.
  9.  Standard, species-specific space requirements must be provided unless an exception has been approved by the IACUC or its designee. 
  10.  Non-aquatic animals should be provided food and water during and after transport unless restriction has been approved by the IACUC or its designee.
  11.  Aquatic and semi-aquatic animals should be provided species-appropriate water and water temperature should be  controlled during transport so as to avoid stressful extremes.
  12. All applicable transport regulations must be followed and appropriate permits and documents must be obtained and kept with the animals during transport. International transport of animals needs to be thoroughly researched and planned well in advance of shipment. If necessary (especially for shipments with countries where animals are being exchanged with for the first time) test shipments should be considered before live animals are shipped.

Pedestrian Transport

  1. Pedestrian transport applies only to movement of animals from the main housing facilities to and from the laboratories. 
  2. Persons transporting rodents on campus must follow the Animal Welfare Services SOP entitled "On Campus Transport of Laboratory Rodents."
  3. Persons transporting aquatic or semi-aquatic animals on campus must use secondary containment so as to avoid accidental water drips in hallways and laboratories. 

Private or Rental Vehicle Transport

Transporting animals in vehicles not specifically designated for animal transportation (e.g. personal or rented vehicles) must be described in the applicable animal protocol and requires prior approval of the IACUC. Vehicles must be legally owned and operated. Transporter must be, or must be accompanied by, an individual who is included in the approved protocol. Each vehicle must meet all of the following criteria:

  1. The use of personal vehicles is discouraged, as it can result in allergen exposure to the occupant and future occupants of the car, as the car can serve as a potential reservoir of animal pathogens. In the event a private vehicle will be used, the "Request to Transport Animals in Private Vehicle Checklist" must be filled out and submitted to the IACUC by the investigator. This request form is located as a separate document in the Appendix. An IACUC representative or designee will then be assigned to conduct the vehicle inspection using the UO IACUC Private Vehicle Inspection checklist also located in the Appendix.
  2. Animals should be transported in the passenger compartment only unless there is insufficient room or there is someone in the back.
  3. The vehicle must be in good working condition and provide adequate heating / cooling to maintain a thermoneutral environment for the animal.
  4. Crates should be placed on a non-porous material (example: blue diaper pads, vinyl sheet, etc.) within the vehicle to allow for ease of cleaning surface especially if vehicle may be used again for animal transport.
  5.  Crates should be placed away from direct sunlight, and ventilation should not blow directly onto the crate.
  6.  Overcrowding within a crate and stacking crates should be avoided to allow the best possible air circulation
  7. Transport crates must be secured in the vehicle in an upright manner and should not be tilted, rolled or laid on their side.
  8. Vehicle should be clean and uncluttered. Other cargo should not be transported in the same area with animal crates.
  9. Drivers are to remain with or in the vehicle at all times when animals are on board.
  10. Animals should be obscured from public view
  11. The most direct route of transport must be taken, i.e. door to door.
  12. The owner of the vehicle used for the transport should be aware of the potential animal allergen exposure and risk to others that may subsequently be passengers in that vehicle.
  13. Steps should be taken to minimize stress during transportation.

    i. Handle cages gently. Do not shake or drop.

    ii. Low noise levels, keep windows closed, do not slam doors, and keep radios off or on very low volume.
  14. Do not smoke in the vehicle or around the crates.
  15. For crates or cages used for tranpsport, ensure they are not opened or filters breached during the transport.

Public Vehicle Transport

  1. Use of public transport, including Lane Transit District vehicles, is not acceptable and not allowed. 

Courier Transport for Animal Transfers

  1. If rodents are to be ordered and transported from an approved vendor, follow the AWS SOP “Procurement and Internal Transfer of Animals.” If aquatic species are to be ordered from an approved vendor, follow the “Request to Import/Export Aquatic Species” SOP and submit the form to the AV and AqACS Manager.
  2.  Inter-institutional Import / Export requests and documents must be completed and approved prior to any animal transfers. See AWS SOP “Request to Import/Export Animals” and the AqACS SOP “Request to Import/Export Aquatic Species”. 
  3. A single representative from the lab should be identified to handle communications with the sending/receiving institution and to submit the Import / Export request. The AV and AqACS or AWS Manager should be cc’d on all communications regarding animal transfers. The selected courier must be approved by the AV or Manager.
  4. Once the transfer is approved by the AV, the lab representative will work with the AV and Manager to ensure documents are in order and shipment preparations are made. Ongoing communications must be shared with the AV and Manager until final disposition of the shipment is recorded.
  5. The Zebrafish International Resource Center Shipping Representative will approve and arrange all imports and exports based on the above guidelines. The ZIRC Veterinarian will review the transport / import/export logs on at least a monthly basis and report unintended outcomes to the AV / IACUC.
  6. Unexpected outcomes that occur during transportation that result in harm or death to animals must be reported to the IACUC.
  7. It is understood that there may be some expected mortality associated with shipments of embryos and early larval stages of fish. This would not be an unexpected outcome or reportable event. However, unexpected losses, such as the loss of an entire shipment, must be reported to the IACUC.
  8. Failure to follow these general transportation guidelines or those transportation procedures that are described in IACUC approved protocols should also be reported to the IACUC.

Approvals: 

approved by date
IACUC Committee June 2016

Revision History: October 15, 2015

Issued By: Monte Matthews, Director, AWS; Kathy Snell, Attending Veterinarian

Appendices: 

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