Established February, 1988
IntroductionCanisius College recognizes the necessity of using living animals in both teaching and research. It insists, however, that the welfare of the animals within its domain be assured by the provision of housing, food and other care of an appropriate high standard, and that pain and suffering be minimized as far as possible.
Consistent with teaching and research needs, wherever possible, the use of living animals should be replaced with non-animal alternatives. When that is not possible, the number of animals being used should be reduced to the smallest number possible. Finally, procedures should be refined so that animals experience the very lowest amounts of disruption, pain and suffering as a consequence of our use of them.
Applicability
We recognize all animals as sentient beings and expect human care to be provided for all species. This policy, however, is meant to declare and establish our particular concern for vertebrate animals. Accordingly, the policies and practices herein delineated apply to all living vertebrate animals (except humans), from the point of conception until death (including the environment of conception and the means of death). This policy does not apply to the use of tissues, organs or tissue-cultures derived from already-dead vertebrate animals.
This policy covers all uses of vertebrate animals in use or housed in Canisius facilities, or in any way affected by activities of the College, without regard to the source of the animals or to the funding of the project involved.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
In furtherance of this policy on animal welfare, the college has established an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and has charged it with three responsibilities.
1. To review (at least annually) all prospective uses of vertebrate animals on campus whether for teaching, research or any other purpose. Only those uses of animals with necessity of purpose, scientific validity and a lack of non-animal alternatives are to be approved, and approval is to be granted only when the benefits expected to be derived from a procedure are judged to meet or exceed the costs borne by the animal subjects. The IACUC is given the authority to approve, to modify, or to withhold approval from, any proposed procedure. No vertebrate animal use is to take place without prior IACUC approval.
2. To ensure that the College is in compliance with all laws, regulations and guidelines which pertain to the use of animals by this institution.
3. To provide a conduit of relevant and up-to-date information to the animal-use community on campus and to generally promote animal welfare on campus.
The IACUC is directed to report to, and derives its authority from, the office of the Executive Vice-President for Academic Affairs. Each administrator has the responsibility of ensuring that this policy is carried out within his or her division of the College. Any violations of this policy should be reported through the normal chain of command (e.g., Chairperson to Dean to Academic Vice-President).
Signed,
Edmund G. Ryan, SJ
Executive Vice-President for Academic Affairs
February 15, 1988