U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here's how you know
        Here's how you knowDot Gov icon**Official websites use .gov**
              
              A**.gov** website belongs to an official government
              organization in the United States.
        HTTPS icon**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
              
              A **lock** (
              A locked padlock
              ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.  Forest Service
    U.S.D.A.
      U.S. Department of Agriculture

Menu


			Research & Development
						close

						
						
													Forest Service Home
                                
                          
        
                Inside the Forest Service
                                
                          
        
                About the Agency
						
													Home
        
                                                        Research
                                **Topics**
                            Climate Change
                
                                                                                                              Ecology
                
                                                                                                              Environment and People
                
                                                                                                              Fish and Wildlife
                
                                                                                                              Fire
                
                                                                                                              Forest and Plant Health
                
                                                                                                              Forest Products
                
                                                                                                              Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment
                
                                                                                                              Managing the Land
                
                                                                                                              Water, Air and Soil
          **Programs**
                            Forest Inventory and Analysis
                
                                                                                                              Technology Transfer
                
                                                                                                              USDA Climate Hubs
                
                                                                                                                                                             
                                        **Projects**
                            Infrastructure Research Projects
                
                                                                                                              Stewardship Mapping
          **Stations**
                
                                                                                                                                                             
                                        **Laboratories**
                
                                                                                                                                                             
                                        **Institutes**
                
                                                                                                                                                             
                                        **Centers and Groups**
                
                                                                                                                                                             
                                        **Experimental Forests and Ranges**
                
                                                                                                                                                             
                                        **Urban Field Stations**
        
                                                        Products
                                **Data and Tools**
                            Datasets
                
                                                                                                              Interactive Maps
                
                                                                                                              Patents
                
                                                                                                              Research Data Archive
                
                                                                                                              Tools
          **Publications**
                            Treesearch
                
                                                                                                              Understory
                
                                                                                                              National Forest Service Library
          **Multimedia**
                            Forestcast Podcast
                
                                                                                                              Webinars
                
                                                                                                              Videos
                
                                                                                                              Photos
        
                                                        News
                                **News**
                            Features
                
                                                                                                              Research  Highlights
                
                                                                                                              Inside the Forest Service
        
                                                        About
                                **About Research and Development**
                            Contact Us
                
                                                                                                              Forestry Research Advisory Council
                
                                                                                                              Great American Outdoors Act
                
                                                                                                              Institutional Animal Care and Use
                
                                                                                                              People
          **About the Agency**
                            Agency Leadership
                
                                                                                                              Budget and Performance
                
                                                                                                              Job Opportunities
                
                                                                                                              National Programs and Offices
                
                                                                                                              Regulations and Policies    
  
        
        
        
Search Institutional Animal Care and Use
 Did you know? Fish and Wildlife researchers must comply with all regulations relating to the Animal Welfare Act.
 Breadcrumb
    Home
              About Research and Development
              Institutional Animal Care and UseT
    T
    T
				
									
				
											
			About Research and Development
                      
      Contact Us
              
                          
                          
        
        
        Forestry Research Advisory Council
              
                          
                          
        
        
        Great American Outdoors Act
              
                          
                          
        
                          
        Institutional Animal Care and Use
              
                          
                          
        
        
        People
              
                          
                          
        
        
        About the Agency
    Institutional Animal Care and Use
                            The Forest Service Research and Development Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) proForest Service employee holding a bat with a gloved hand.vides guidance to assist fish and wildlife researchers in complying with the Animal Welfare Act (U.S. Code, 7 U.S.C. Sections 2131-2159), and the U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals used in Testing, Research and Training.

Ensures the Forest Service is in compliance with all laws and regulations relating to animal welfare.
	Supports animal welfare policies consistent with high standards of science and natural resource stewardship.
	Provides animal welfare education and training for employees working with vertebrate animals.All Forest Service researchers intending to use vertebrate animals in their research, teaching, and testing activities must submit proposals to the Institutional Animal Care and Use committee for review and approval before any research can begin.

The Forest Service is an officially registered federal research institution with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) since October 2015.



Frequently Asked Questions

**How does the Forest Service utilize animals in research?**

Forest Service researchers sometimes capture, track, and/or take samples from fish and wildlife in order to better understand species, habitat use, and inform land management decisions.**What is the Animal Welfare Act? and Animal Welfare Act Regulations?**

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) was first enacted in 1966 granting the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) authority to regulate the humane care and use of animals in research, teaching, testing, experimentation, or exhibition. In 1970 the act was amended to include all warm-blooded animals.  The AWA requires that each research facility establishes a committee with the following abilities:
	Assess the proper care and treatment of animals and any practices involving pain or distress to the animals.
		Perform periodic inspections of research facilities
		Ensure compliance with AWA
		Represent society's concerns regarding the welfare of animals used in facilities
	Read more about Animal Welfare**What are U.S. Government Principles?**

The U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals in Testing, Research and Training (U.S. Gov't Principles) are a set of principles developed by the Interagency Research Animal Committee (IRAC) for government agencies to use in developing requirements for testing, research, or training procedures involving the use of vertebrate animals. View the U.S. Government Principles for more information.**How does the Animal Welfare Act define field studies? Are field studies subject to committee oversight?**

The Animal Welfare Act defines fields studies as studies conducted on free-living wild animals in their natural habitat. Field studies that are not invasive, do not harm or alter the behavior of the animal under study are exempted from committee oversight. However, field studies that do not meet this description are subject to committee review and site inspection. This oversight also pertains to wildlife held in captivity for more than 12 hours.**What criteria does the Forest Service Institutional Animal Care and Use committee use for reviewing proposals regarding the use of animals?**

Proposals are reviewed to ensure research activities will be conducted in compliance with all applicable legal requirements including the Animal Welfare Act, U.S. Government Principles, and Forest Service policies such as the Code of Scientific Ethics. The Animal Welfare Act requires the committee to review proposals using the three "R's": replace, reduce and refine. Researchers are asked to consider replacing the use of animals with non-animal alternatives, reducing the number of animals used to the minimum needed to obtain scientifically valid results, and refining research methods to ensure animals experience the least possible amount of distress.Contact

This page is intended to provide general information on the committee, and current animal welfare laws, regulations, policies and guidelines. For more detailed inquiries, questions or concerns please contact the committee directly by email.

Send Email
                            Last updated October 18, 2022
	

Return to top

  Treesearch
                                        
                        Research Data Archive
                                        
                        Forest Inventory & Analysis
                                        
                        Research Topics
                                        
                        News
                                        
                        About Us
      
              Footer menu
  

        
      USDA.gov
                              askUSDA
                              Policies & Links
                              Our Performance
                              Report Fraud on USDA Contracts
                              Inspector General
                              Plain Writing
                              Open Government
                              FOIA
                              Accessibility Statement
                              Privacy Policy
                              Non-Discrimination Statement
                              Anti-Harassment Policy
                              Information Quality
                              USA.gov
                              Whitehouse.gov
                              eGov
                              No FEAR Act Data
                              Contact Us
                              Sitemap

  Forest Service
    U.S.D.A.
      U.S. Department of Agriculture

        Twitter
  Facebook
  LinkedIn
  Instagram
  Flickr
  Youtube


https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/about/animalcare