Rodent Overcrowding
The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals sets very specific standards for "Minimum Space Recommendations for Laboratory Animals" (Guide) In order to remain in compliance with the Guide, rodent density must be maintained within prescribed limits. The following describes the Overcrowding Policy established by the IACUC.
1. All investigators or other animal users will be required to adhere strictly to the minimum space recommendations as promulgated for all common species in the Guide, unless a specific request for an exception to these rules has been included in the experimental (or breeding) protocol and approved by the IACUC.
2. Any request for a waiver of the established rules must be accompanied by a sound scientific justification for the practice acceptable to the Committee. Investigator convenience or economy are not acceptable reasons for granting a waiver of the regulations.
3. Litters of substantially different ages will not be permitted to share a cage unless the justification for, and conditions of, such a practice are accepted by the Committee on a case by case basis.
4. The request for a waiver must be accompanied by a specified maximum necessary cage density for approval (or modification) by the Committee and which, if exceeded, will authorize the cage to be designated as overcrowded.
5. Although the placing of an "overcrowding" Morbidity and Mortality Report on the affected cage will, in itself, constitute sufficient notice to the investigator, the ARC will attempt to contact him/her by telephone as soon as the card is placed. A single (attempted) call to the investigator's laboratory will be deemed sufficient additional notification.
6. If after expiration of the 48 hour grace period (which includes holidays and weekends), the cage overcrowding has not been relieved, the ARC staff will proceed with the separation and will identify the several cages into which the animals have been placed in such a way as to permit the investigator to reconstruct the composition of the original cage. This technical time required to perform this service will be charged to the investigator.
7. In cases where the observed overcrowding exceeds 200% of the PHS allowable minimum space requirements, the ARC staff may proceed with the separation without notification of the investigator or the provision of a grace period. This service will is fully chargeable to the investigator. An attempt to contact the investigator will be made but animals in these cages will ALWAYS be changed on the same day.
8. All cases of unacceptable rodent cage densities are periodically reported by the Training & Compliance Coordinator to the IACUC at its regular monthly meetings.
9. Investigators who are working with an already-approved protocol, and whose experimental design necessitates their employing cage densities in excess of the PHS standards, must submit an addendum specifying the maximum density they feel is necessary and providing the required scientific justification for their position.
10. Where more than one pregnant rodent is housed in a cage, the ARC may place an "ANTICIPATED OVERCROWDING" card on the cage (and attempt to contact the investigator). The ARC staff may then separate the animals after 48 hours have passed or at the birth of the litter(s) whichever is later without further notice to the investigator.
11. All rodent cage cards should record the mating date(s) of the females and/or the birth dates of the litters in addition to Investigator name, protocol number and telephone number.
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