The following positions will be used by the Council on Accreditation to evaluate and accredit animal care and use programs. The principles of the Guide are outcome-based and include professional judgment and performance standards. If a program deviates from the standards of the Guide, there must be compelling reasons with strong rationales for it to be acceptable. This includes traditional laboratory animals, farm animals, wildlife, and aquatic animals.
Veterinary care is an essential part of an animal care program.
Veterinary care is the responsibility of a veterinarian who is certified or has training or experience in laboratory animal science and medicine in the species being held and used. The veterinarian must provide guidance to investigators and all personnel involved in the care and use of animals to ensure appropriate handling, immobilization, sedation, analgesia, anesthesia, and euthanasia. An occupational health and safety program must be part of the overall animal care and use program. The basic elements of a program include hazard identification and risk assessment, personnel training and protection, written procedures and policies regarding hazard use and monitoring, and medical evaluation and preventive medicine. A health history evaluation is advisable before work assignment to assess potential risks for individual employees.