Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee
The Public Health Service Policy (PHS) requires institutions to establish and maintain proper measures to ensure the appropriate care and use of all animals involved in research, research training, and biological testing activities. The Butler Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) exists to oversee the use of animals in research and teaching at Butler University and to ensure that all applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing the use of animals are met.
“The committee is responsible for oversight and evaluation of the animal care and use program and its components described in the Guide for the Care and Use of Animals. Its functions include inspection of facilities; evaluation of programs and animal-activity areas; submission of reports to responsible institutional officials; review of proposed uses of animals in research, testing, or education (i.e. protocols); and establishment of a mechanism for receipt and review of concerns involving the care and use of animals at the institution.” (Institute of Laboratory Animals Resources, National Academy of Sciences, 1996).
All teaching and research activities involving the use of any vertebrate animals at Butler University must receive prior written approval of the IACUC. This includes, but is not limited to, animals owned by Butler University, wildlife animals whose behavior is altered by the proposed activities, and animals owned by other institutions or individuals.
All application forms with backup documentation should be submitted to the Office of Sponsored Programs as a combined single pdf to IACUC@butler.edu.
- IACUC Protocol for Animal Use Form (docx)
- IACUC Animal Use Qualifications Form for Principal Investigators (docx)
- IACUC Animal Use Qualifications Form for Students and Other Investigators (docx)
- IACUC Protocol Annual Update Form (docx)
- IACUC Request to Modify an Approved Protocol Form (docx)
- IACUC Protocol Approval Form (docx)
Any employee and/or student, including Principal Investigators, of Butler University who will have responsibility for the care and use of animals as an activity of his/her duties must undergo training prior to initiating that activity and annually thereafter. The training includes an online training course as well as training with the animal care staff. Certification from another institution may be considered but must be submitted and approved prior to animal use. The University offers an on-line training program through the University of Miami’s Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Course for Research Involving the Use of Animals.
To complete the required education go to CITI’s website.
- Select Butler University as your “participating institution” and create an account.
- When you have created an account you will be directed to a page titled “Select Curriculum” which displays a list of courses on Animal Care. Complete the module titled Working with the IACUC as well as any research module most appropriate to the type of research you conduct.
- The course may take a few hours to complete but can be done over a period of time. When you complete the course, CITI will e-mail your completion record to the BIRS office.
If you have done CITI education for another organization, add Butler to your profile. You will be given credit for your previous courses to the extent they overlap with Butler’s requirements.
Principal investigators must provide sufficient proof of qualifications for animal use to the Consulting Veterinarian (for invasive procedures) prior to beginning animal use. Any investigator lacking sufficient qualifications will be provided with appropriate training from the Consulting Veterinarian as needed.
In the case of a supervised employee and/or student, the Animal Care Facility Supervisor, the Principal Investigator, or the appropriately trained designee trains the employee and/or student in specific requirements of the particular animal activity protocol.
Required Training for Change of Species or Manipulation
Before any new species, new animal manipulation, or major change to a manipulation is introduced into a facility or animal activity, all employees and/or students caring for or handling the new species or carrying out the manipulation must be trained in the appropriate care and handling of the species and in the manipulation. The Office of Sponsored Programs procures and provides appropriate training materials, if available; otherwise, it will be the responsibility of the Principal Investigator or Animal Care Facility Supervisor to obtain appropriate training and to ensure that his/her support staff is adequately trained.
Continuing Education
It is the professional responsibility of each Principal Investigator or Animal Care Facility Supervisor working with laboratory animals to acquire up-to-date information in the care and handling of his/her animals and to update his/her support staff accordingly. The Institute for Research and Scholarship is utilized as a resource for up-to-date information and for revisions of federal regulations.
Assurance of Training
Upon approval of a Protocol for Animal Use, the Principal Investigator and any other personnel handling the animals will be required to sign the Qualifications for Animal Use Form. Completion of the form assures the IACUC that the signatory has received required training prior to the initiation of the protocol and that the signatory will continually acquire up-to-date information relevant to the protocol as it becomes available.
- Andrew Blickman, DVM (Indefinite)
- Jenni Burke (August 2026)
- Dana Gonzales (non-member, attending animal care consultant)
- Patience Masamha (August 2025)
- Carmen Salsbury, Chair (August 2025)
- Louise Abramson, community member (August 2026)
- Butler University’s Principles of Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (PDF)
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
- PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (OLAW)
- Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
- 2000 Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia (PDF)
- ARENA/OLAW IACUC Handbook (PDF)
- American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS)
- American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM)
- Animal Welfare Information Center
- IACUC Central—A comprehensive resource of online information for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees
- Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing
- NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW)
- Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW)