Standards and Guidelines

As a research and teaching institution, the University of Maryland is required to meet federal standards regarding animal care standards and practices. This includes oversight from the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA).

Institutions using animals covered by the U.S. Animal Welfare Act must follow the Animal Welfare Regulations.

Institutions that receive funding from the Public Health Service, including NIH, CDC, FDA, and NSF must also follow the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy. The PHS policy uses The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals (PDF) as its primary reference documents.

Institutions that are AAALAC-accredited must follow the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and the other primary references documents that AAALAC uses to evaluate animal care and use programs (e.g. Ag Guide).

In addition to the federal regulations and policies, there may be state and local regulations or policies, and each institution may develop its own standards and guidelines to help manage and implement its specific animal care and use program. All local policies and procedures should comply with the primary guidance documents and be in agreement with the institution’s PHS assurance on file with the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW). UMCP IACUC has developed a number of standards to reflect the university’s expectations regarding animal care and use.