Policy on Animal Disposal

Policy Memorandum No. 175

Recommended by the Commission on Research: January 22, 1997
Approved by University Council: March 17, 1997
Approved by the President: March 17, 1997
Effective Date: Immediately

The University Council, on recommendation of the Commission on Research, unanimously approved a resolution concerning the university's policy on the disposal of animals.

Following is the text of the resolution as adopted by University Council.

WHEREAS, the University is fully committed to compliance with all federal and state laws pertinent to animal care through oversight by the Animal Care Committee, and

WHEREAS, the University recognizes that optimal use of individual and groups of animals assigned to instruction, research, and scholarly activities may involve appropriate multiple uses of the same animals to minimize total numbers assigned, and

WHEREAS, the University recognizes that the number of animals assigned to terminal use for such academic activities should be kept to a minimum, and

WHEREAS, there is need for a University policy on the disposition of animals following their use in teaching, research, and other scholarly activities, and

WHEREAS, the University acquires animals from multiple sources (purchase, breeding, capture from the wild, and donations, inter alia), and

WHEREAS, there are moral and legal concerns associated with giving animals away to individuals who may not be subject to monitoring for appropriate animal care after receipt of said animals, and

WHEREAS, all University-owned animals, including donated animals, are `state property' and thus are subject to state disposal regulations,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that:

1. University policy prohibits the transfer of ownership of animals that have been used for teaching, research, and other scholarly activities other than by sale.
2. disposal of said animals (limited to cats, dogs and farm animals) be in accordance with the policies of the Commonwealth of Virginia and all appropriate laws and statutes of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Government of the United States.
3. disposal of laboratory rodents, lagomorphs and reptiles be excluded from any type of sale, except for individuals of species with unique biological and/or intellectual properties transferred for research or other scholarly activities.
4. disposal of native wild species be in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and rules of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
5. the effective date of this resolution (by) be no later than May 31, 1997.

RECOMMENDATION: The approved transfer of ownership of an animal previously used in University academic activities to a person duly authorized to accept and be responsible for the proper care, custody, and maintenance of that animal under the provisions of this policy is final.

PET/bjl

President's Policy Memorandum

URL: http://purl.vt.edu/vtdocs/policies/ppm175