91´ÎÔª

Guidance Covering Restrictions on Animal Work in Pain Categories D and E Outside LAR Business Hours

Number: IACUC-GUID-002 

Responsible Office: Office of Research and Creative Scholarship (ORCS) 

Applies to: Principal Investigators Conducting Animal Research  

1. Purpose 

This guidance document establishes restrictions on conducting animal procedures categorized under Pain Categories D and E outside of standard business hours. These restrictions are intended to ensure appropriate oversight, veterinary support, and adherence to ethical and regulatory standards for animal welfare. 

This guidance applies to all 91´ÎÔª personnel, including researchers, animal care staff, and veterinary staff, involved in animal procedures categorized under Pain Categories D and E as defined by the USDA. 

Definitions

• Pain Category D: Procedures that involve pain or distress to animals, with appropriate alleviation through the use of anesthetics, analgesics, or other methods. 

• Pain Category E: Procedures that involve pain or distress to animals, without the use of anesthetics, analgesics, or other means of relief, due to scientific justification approved by the IACUC. 
  
  
• Standard Business Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM, excluding university-recognized holidays. 

2. Procedure 

No procedures categorized under Pain Categories D or E shall be conducted outside of standard business hours (Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM) without express prior approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Manager and/or the Attending Veterinarian (AV). Approval must be requested in advance and will be granted only under exceptional circumstances with sufficient justification. 

3. Procedure for Approval of After-Hours Work.  

1. Submission of Request: Principal Investigators (PIs) must submit a written request to the IACUC, detailing: 
   
   • The nature of the procedures to be conducted. 
     
     
   • Justification for performing procedures outside business hours. 
     
     
   • A plan for ensuring adequate veterinary support and oversight. 
     
     
   • Emergency response measures. 
2. Review Process: The IACUC, in consultation with the AV, will review the request for scientific necessity, feasibility, and adherence to animal welfare requirements. 
   
   
3. Decision Notification: The PI will be notified of the decision in writing. If approved, specific conditions may be imposed, such as requiring on-call veterinary availability or additional monitoring. 
   
   
4. Compliance Monitoring: Any after-hours procedures must comply with all relevant animal welfare regulations and university policies. Noncompliance will be subject to review and potential corrective actions. 

4. Enforcement and Compliance  

Failure to adhere to this guidance may result in: 

• Suspension of the relevant research activities. 
  
  
• Review by the IACUC and potential revocation of protocol approval. 
  
  
• Additional oversight or restrictions on future after-hours work requests. 

For further information or to submit a request, please contact the IACUC office or the Attending Veterinarian. 

5. Review and Approval and Version History 

Review and approval version history for this guidance

Version	Date	Description of Changes	Approved By
1.0	May 19, 2025	Initial policy creation	IACUC