Educational Outreach

Research studies involving animals have led to critical contributions to the treatment of a wide variety of diseases, as well as joint replacement procedures, organ transplantations, and heart bypass operations, and are responsible for countless drug therapy discoveries and enhancements.

Some of these discoveries, including the feline leukemia vaccine and flea control methods, for example, have benefited companion animals (pets) as well as animals in the wild. These advances would not have been possible without the use of laboratory animals.

WWU is firmly committed to the “Three Rs” principle of biomedical research:

• Reduce the number of animals used to the minimum required for the study,
• Replace animals with less sentient or non-animal models whenever possible; and
• Refine all practices to provide the best animal welfare possible.

Read more about the 3Rs.

Highly trained, licensed veterinarians and staff with specialized training in laboratory animal medicine provide medical care for all animals at the University. They work together to minimize discomfort or distress because it can affect not only the well-being of animals, but also the reliability of the research itself.

Most research animals do not experience procedures that are any more invasive than what most people face during an annual physical examination. When potentially uncomfortable procedures are involved, anesthetics and analgesics are used to relieve discomfort.

All research institutions are required to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). IACUCs approve and review research protocols, ensure that anesthesia and postoperative medications are used when appropriate, and that alternatives to animals are sought out and integrated into studies whenever possible. This Committee includes members of the general public, non-scientists, veterinarians, and experienced animal researchers.

The during the protocol review process researchers must prove they are qualified to conduct the study in an appropriate and humane manner. The IACUC also routinely monitors research it has approved to make sure researchers and members of their labs are following the letter and spirit of their protocol.

Before a WWU researcher can begin a study involving animals, a detailed description of the study’s protocol and purpose must be approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The Committee reviews the goals, objectives, and scientific benefits of the proposed research to certify that the project will benefit human or animal well-being. It verifies that all animals will be provided proper housing and care, and ensures that those who will be working with animals have received proper training and have practices and procedures in place to reduce as much pain or discomfort to the animals as possible.

The during the protocol review process researchers must prove they are qualified to conduct the study in an appropriate and humane manner. The IACUC also routinely monitors research it has approved to make sure researchers are following the letter and spirit of their protocol.

Environmental enrichment activities or accommodations in housing areas are specifically designed to support the psychological well-being of the animals. The IACUC approved enrichments are founded in science and expert evaluation of whether our behavioral husbandry is effectively providing enrichment for the animals.

Some research questions can only be answered by harvesting the organ or tissue of interest and examining it at the microscopic and molecular level and animals must be euthanized for this reason. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Guidelines on Euthanasia ensure that euthanasia is performed humanely. 

Certain animals may be adopted as pets after they have finished being used in a research or teaching project. 

Friends may not be brought into the vivarium. WWU restricts the number of people entering to protect the animals and the research being conducted. 

However, professional colleagues may be brought into animal spaces for scientific reasons. Professional visitors must always be escorted. Except when supervised in class, no one can handle or perform any procedures on an animal unless they are listed as personnel on the IACUC protocol covering that animal.    

Regulatory laws and guidelines, such as those listed in the U.S. Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which excludes rats, mice and birds, and in the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy, which covers all vertebrate animals in federally-funded research, mandate high-quality nutrition, housing and veterinary care for research animals. 

WWU has a university policy and procedure POL-U4520.09 Addressing Animal Care and Use in Research and Instruction for animal research that must be followed for all animal research and teaching activities at WWU.

The WWU Animal Care and Use Program (ACAUP) is strongly committed to the humane care and use of animals in research, training, and instruction. Any member of the faculty, staff, student body, or public having reason to question the treatment of animals at WWU should report any suspected cases of animal abuse, misuses, or mistreatment. Read more about how to report a concern.