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Animal Care Services (ACS) requires immediate notification of a researcher’s intent to import animals from a commercial or non-commercial source. Notification is required to:

• Determine the health status of room where the animals are currently housed;
• Ensure that Queen’s University has adequate housing,
• All animals will be placed in quarantine (please note animals with a history of pathogens may be refused);
• Potentially contaminated lines will be handled as described below
• arrange appropriate transportation;
• validate timelines and tracking of shipment (4 weeks’ notice once serology has been received).

Import of Research Rodents from Non-Commercial Sources

For the importation of rodents from non-commercial sources (other academic institutions), the following steps must be completed in order to receive these animals:

• a Materials Transfer Agreement (MTA) must be signed by the contracts department of both institutions to authorize the transfer of the desired animals
• a completed Rodent Importation / Exportation form submitted to the Veterinary staff at Queen’s University for review and sign-off
• validation that the strain to be imported has been listed on an approved animal use protocol.

The veterinary staff will contact the exporting institution to obtain the health information on the animals that are to be imported. This information includes but is not limited to health reports, descriptions of husbandry practices and history of disease outbreaks.

If health reports are clean, the imported animals will be placed in quarantine. Following acclimatization (a minimum of 72 hours), fecal samples will be collected for PRIA PCR testing. If testing indicates the animals are free of pathogens, they will then be transferred into an animal holding room where they must undergo an additional minimum 72-hour acclimatization period.

If health reports indicate that the mice are contaminated or potentially contaminated, or testing in clean quarantine is positive, they will be maintained in quarantine and will be rederived as per protocol. If the mice are from a facility that does not meet our exclusion pathogen status, a request will be made for frozen sperm or embryos that could be cryo-recovered at an outside facility. If not, live mice would be outsourced to a facility for re-derivation.

Import of Research Rodents from Commercial Sources

All rodent models must be acclimatized for a minimum of 72 hours upon arrival to the facility. Only basic handling is permitted during this time period.

Export of Research Animals from Queen’s

For the exportation of rodents to other academic institutions, the following steps must be followed in order to ship these animals:

• a Materials Transfer Agreement (MTA) must be signed by the contracts department of both institutions to authorize the transfer of the desired animals
• a completed Rodent Importation / Exportation form submitted by the PI to the Veterinary staff at Queen’s University for review and sign-off
• confirmation from the receiving institution that they will receive the animals

The Veterinarian will be responsible for contacting the receiving institution to determine what information they will require to allow this transfer. Typically, the information includes health reports, husbandry and handling practices, sentinel program outline and any history of disease outbreaks and how they were handled.

Once the transfer is approved by the receiving institution, the animals to be shipped are examined for any physical abnormalities or health issues that would preclude their shipment. Documentation to accompany the animals will vary depending on whether they are travelling internationally or domestically. The animals to be shipped are described on the documents in regard to age, sex, strain, ear punch or tag and colour.

Transportation

Transportation of animals is through an authorized courier such as World Courier, JJ Express or Validated Courier. They follow the International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations and CCAC guidelines for the humane transport of animals. The shipping containers will be well-labelled to indicate LIVE ANIMALS, HANDLE WITH CARE AND DO NOT EXPOSE TO EXTREMES OF TEMPERATURE and THIS SIDEUP. Enough food and water should be provided in each container compartment to account for potential delays.