Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

The Northern Arizona University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) oversee NAU and NAU staff and ensure compliance with federal regulations regarding use of animals in research or education. These regulations include the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Welfare Act and Regulations (AWA), the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, NAU IACUC Policy Manual and OSHA and EPA regulations. 

The IACUC is concerned with portions of these laws and regulations that (a) ensure that the number of animals used is reasonable (neither too few to yield useful results nor so many that needless suffering occurs), (b) research using animals does not unnecessarily duplicate previous research, (c) animal pain and suffering is minimized, and that animal users have contingency plans for unexpected animal injuries, (d) animal holding facilities are inspected twice a year, and (e) risk to humans from using animals is minimized. 

To meet these goals, the IACUC requires NAU personnel using animals to meet two obligations, namely (1) obtaining IACUC approval for your animal-use protocol, and (2) certifying that all animal users have undergone training to acquire knowledge about the legal and health issues involved in animal use and to become proficient in any animal related procedures. Please note that “animal use” includes capture an observation of animals in field classes, dissection of animals in laboratory classes, research in NAU labs, research in off-campus labs by NAU personnel, and field research that involves animals.