Animal Care Committee

ACC Responsibilities

The Animal Care Committee works to promote animal welfare and allay some of the public concerns for animal experimentation by ensuring:

• the adequate care of animals in all stages of life
• veterinary assistance in the case of sickness, injury or elective procedures
• regular site visits are undertaken
• each project is found to have scientific merit through independent peer review
• the establishment and implementation of procedures corresponding with current veterinary standards

The Animal Care Committee has the responsibility to guarantee that no animal protocols move forward without prior approval. This involves:

• providing all ACC members and animal users with access to CCAC guidelines
• assisting animal users in completing and submitting the appropriate protocol form
• approving and documenting all modifications to approved protocols before they are implemented
• annually reviewing all on-going protocols
• maintaining an appropriate appeal process
• documenting and attaching all ACC discussions and decisions to the protocol
• YukonU ACC Terms of Reference

Membership Terms

The University Animal Care Committee includes representation from the following areas:

• two (2) Faculty or staff members and one alternate with experience in animal care and use
• one (1) veterinarian experienced in experimental animal care and use
• one (1) institutional member who normal activities, past and present, do not depend on or involve animal use for research, teaching or testing
• one (1) representative from Occupational Health and Safety
• one (1) student representative
• one (1) or two (2) community representatives, who have no affiliation with the University and who has not been involved in animal use for research, teaching or testing.
  • More details -CCAC Manual for Community Representatives 
• University animal facility technician or manager
• ACC Coordinator (ex officio)
• others as deemed appropriate – these individuals may be asked to review protocols as the need arises.

Current composition of the YukonU ACC

• Chairperson
• three (3) Faculty with experience in animal care and use
• one (1) consulting veterinarian experienced in experimental animal care and use
• University staff member not involved in animal use for research or teaching
• one (1) YukonU staff member representing occupational health and safety
• two (2) local community representatives
• one (1) YukonU student representative
• ACC coordinator

ACC authority

The Animal Care Committee has the authority to:

• approve, decline or request modifications to animal use in teaching, testing or research
• stop any objectionable procedure
• immediately stop any use of animals that deviates from the approved use
• have an animal killed humanely if deemed necessary
• Post-Approval Monitoring Program

This describes the Yukon University Post-Approval Monitoring (PAM) program to monitor the work with animals in Animal Use Protocols (AUP) following Animal Care Committee (ACC) approval. This program includes facility site visits when procedures are being performed, evaluation of document and record keeping, a comparison of the actual activities being performed and those that are approved on the protocol, and the use of endpoint monitoring, Annual Renewals and Facility Assessments.

Additional Details: The Animal Care Committee And the Role of its Members (CCAC document, March 2021)