IACUC Learning Module - Laws & Regulations | Previous Next |
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WHAT IS AN ANIMAL?
The definition of "animal" varies under specific federal regulations.
Under the Animal Welfare Act, animal is defined as "Any live or dead, vertebrate animal used for teaching, class or laboratory demonstration, student projects, laboratory or field research, or related purposes-regardless of the source of funding." However, the Act then goes on to exclude certain animals. The Public Health Service Policy defines an animal as any live vertebrate animal used in PHS funded research. Here, at the University of Arizona, the
IACUC has defined animal as all living or dead vertebrate animals.
If you are working with any animal as defined by our local IACUC, then all IACUC policies apply to your work with animals.
In addition, there is a powerful scientific incentive for maintaining healthy, well-cared-for animals. Any person working with animals needs a basic understanding of husbandry, handling and methods to eliminate pain and distress. The quality of research is improved, by decreasing the number of uncontrolled variables.
A significant number of Americans are opposed to any activity which requires the life of an animal, thereby eliminating dissections or physiological demonstrations from science classes. Furthermore, many Americans oppose activities which in the past would have been considered harmless: maintaining a classroom pet or behavioral studies. These people should not be dismissed as isolated fanatics, these beliefs are widespread throughout our society.
All persons who support the use of animals in science must recognize the importance of animal right's organizations in shaping the public's view toward animal use. Legislative staff reports that the third most frequent topic for constituent letters is the "abuse" of animals; many of these letters request Congress to prohibit all use of animals in teaching and research. In order to combat the negative propaganda of the animal right's crusade and to improve the overall scientific literacy of Americans, biomedical scientists, biologic and agricultural researchers; and life-science educators must encourage the appropriate use of animals in educational settings. There are organizations set up for this purpose.
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