Dowitcher Research Laboratories (DRL) was a startup contract research laboratory located in a small east coast town. The only animals used by DRL were rabbits that were obtained from a rabbitry in the same town. A local private practice veterinarian was under contract to check the DRL rabbits on a weekly basis. The veterinarian had recently initiated a quarterly health monitoring program for DRL, and no health concerns were identified. All of DRL's business came from private colleges and small research labs in the same state, none of which had an animal facility. DRL did not have an IACUC, nor did DRL inquire as to whether the schools and labs it served had IACUCs.
Eventually the veterinary medical officer from the USDA heard about DRL and visited the site to get a better understanding of why it was not registered and why there was no IACUC overseeing the animal use procedures. The owner politely explained that registration was not required for DRL, according to the Animal Welfare Act. DRL did not participate in interstate commerce1, all of its animals were locally bred, it did not receive any federal funds for its research or testing1, its animals were healthy and well cared for, and DRL was in compliance with all state regulations.
Does DRL need to be registered with the USDA? If one of the schools it serviced received a federal grant for its rabbit research, or if one of the private labs it worked with was located out-of-state, would that alter the current situation?
References
Animal Welfare Act regulations. 9 CFR. Chapter I, Subchapter A, Part 1, Section 1.1.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Silverman, J. To register or not to register. Lab Anim 44, 431 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.881
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.881
