As the University continues to adapt to the changing landscape of the COVID 19 pandemic, we have received request from the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC), who provides oversight of animal-based research and teaching on behalf of the Tri-Council (SSHERC, NSERC and CIHR), that the University track and report the effect of the pandemic on the use of animals in these activities.
To this end, they require us to track and report the following information for any animals that are euthanized or otherwise removed from research and teaching as a direct result of COVID 19: AUP number, species, number of animals, date of removal, fate of animals (euthanized/adopted/returned to source etc) reason for removal.
Please record this information for animals under your care and submit these data in real time to acc@uoguelph.ca. Our office will then collate the data and submit to the CCAC in aggregate on your collective behalf. This request should include animals removed as of March 16th and beyond. Note that this does not include the removal of animals from studies or exercises that were completed – only those that were truncated, aborted or that never took place at all after animals had been acquired. It would also apply to animals that were produced from colonies/herds/flocks etc, intended for research/teaching but were then euthanized before use.
We understand that this request comes at an already chaotic time, but as an institution working under a Certificate of Good Animal Practice issued by the CCAC to ensure Tri-Council funding, we are obligated to comply and are attempting to meet this obligation with as little further disruption as possible.
More information regarding the CCAC and their message on COVID-19 can be found at https://www.ccac.ca/en/updates-concerning-covid-19/.
Please do not report any animal dispositions to the CCAC directly, Animal Care Services will compile all records and submit to the CCAC at once.
Thank you and stay safe,
The ACS team
Animal Care Services
Research Innovation (Building 92)
Click here to learn more about this alert