RESEARCH POLICY SERIES
POLICY AND PROCEDURE STATEMENT ON
CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR
(BIOMEDICAL) ANIMAL CARE AND USE AT
AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
PURPOSE
This plan is intended to prepare Mississippi State University (MSU) faculty and staff for a threat or crisis involving MSU laboratory (i.e., biomedical) animal care and use programs. The plan sets forth a plan for response should a crisis occur.
REVIEW
This policy and procedure will be reviewed as needed (AN) by the University Laboratory Animal Veterinarian and Animal Care and Use Committee with recommendations for revision presented to the Vice President for Research.
POLICY/PROCEDURE
Responsible and sound animal care and use programs, properly communicated, reduce the risk but do not eliminate the potential for a crisis involving animal care and use.
The use of animals is essential to teaching and research in a land-grant institution. At the same time, the use of animals carries an obligation for appropriate care and use. Therefore, each staff member, student, faculty member, and research investigator is directly responsible to promote and protect animal welfare within the instructional and research programs of the university. This responsibility should be conveyed by example and extends to the education of future employees of the academic community.
All faculty members should be aware of university policies and procedures regarding the use of animals. These policies and procedures for animal use in biomedical endeavors are contained in the U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Teaching, Research, and Training. This document is available from the Office for Regulatory Compliance. Department heads should be certain all faculty members using animals in biomedical teaching, testing, or research have a copy of the Principles and are informed of the policies and procedures described. Likewise, if staff are involved with the care and use of animals, their faculty supervisor should make certain they are informed of the animal care and use Principles.
It is especially important to be responsive to concerns raised about animal care and use (biomedical aspects) within the university. All such concerns expressed by faculty, staff, students, or the public should be responded to and reported to the University Laboratory Animal Veterinarian and/or the Chair of the MSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
All persons using animal facilities are responsible for security in those facilities. Doors are to be locked during off duty hours. Any person not recognized as having legitimate business in an animal facility should be challenged. University Police should be called if there is any problem regarding unauthorized presence in an animal facility.
All tours of the biomedical use animal facilities must be approved by the University Laboratory Animal Veterinarian or by the dean or department head in charge.
All contacts with the media that relate to the MSU biomedical animal care and use program should be reported to the Head, University Relations, and to the University Laboratory Animal Veterinarian or his designee.
Pre-Crisis Preparation:
The Office for Regulatory Compliance will assemble the following documents and provide them to the responsible deans, the Vice President for Research, the Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, Head of University Relations, and Head, Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Informative Services:
1. Policy and Procedures Statement on Laboratory Animal Welfare at MSU.
2. The document “U.S. Government Principles on the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training.”
Crisis Response:
In the event a crisis (break-in, vandalism in animal facilities, demonstrations, exaggerated response or report by a naïve person) occurs, the University Laboratory Animal Veterinarian, the Vice President for Research and/or Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, Office for Regulatory Compliance, the University Police, and University Relations should be notified immediately.
No statements are to be issued to the media without the approval of the Vice President for Research and/or Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine. If these individuals are not available and it seems advantageous to make a timely statement for the media, such statements may be approved by the University Laboratory Animal Veterinarian or the deans of colleges using animals in teaching or research.
OP 79.4
08/16/04
For information about this policy, contact the
reviewing department.
