Chapter One
History and Purpose of Laboratory
Animal Science and Animal Care
Programs
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Introduction to Laboratory Animal Care
 Understand:
regulations, room environments, signs of clinical illness, safe and
sanitary care, record keeping, irregularities, routine treatments,
hygiene, sanitation and sterilization procedures
 Provide important information flow to investigators about
their animals.
 Lab animal technicians are responsible for welfare of
animals in their charge.
History and Purpose
 Laboratory animal science = scientific & technical
information and techniques
 Includes husbandry, nutrition, behavior, health,
production and management
 Laboratory animal medicine deals with
diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases.
 Field of laboratory animal science
has existed since 1950’s.
Animal Experimentation
 Aristotle => comparative anatomy & embryology
 Galen => principles for experimental research
 19th century => major medical advances
vaccines, anesthetics, techniques to prevent infection
 20th century => technology, chemistry, radiology,
pharmacology, genetics, immunology...
 1915 - Dr. Simon D. Brimhall became the first
laboratory animal veterinarian
 1950s - beginning of laboratory animal science
AALAS
 1950 the Animal Care Panel (ACP) established.
 ACP created organization concerned with
production, care and study of laboratory animals.
 1967 - ACP became the American Association for
Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).
 AALAS:
 Publishes “Comparative Medicine” and “Contemporary Topics.”
 Certifies trained technicians & promotes education.
 Annual meeting of scientists, veterinarians, technicians, managers
and suppliers.
 There are 48 local AALAS branches
Other Associations
 Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Lab
Animal Care International - AAALAC International
accredits over 500 institutional animal care programs
 National Association for Biomedical Research - NABR
public & scientific community legislation & regulations
 incurably ill for Animal Research - iiFAR
represents individuals w/ little or no hope for a cure
 American Veterinary Medical Association - AVMA
organization for veterinarians
 American College of Lab Animal Medicine - ACLAM
veterinarians specialize in lab animal medicine
 People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - PETA
against the use of animals in research
The Role of the ALAT
 Technicians directly impact experimental data.
 Regulations/guidelines issued by PHS, NIH and
USDA set standards for facility operation.
 Continuing education trains technicians to meet
operational and regulatory standards.
 A research facility may develop own training
program or use organizations such as AALAS.
 AALAS certifies at the following levels:
ALAT - Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician
LAT - Laboratory Animal Technician
LATG - Laboratory Animal Technologist
More Roles of the ALAT
 Animal husbandry daily functions
 Sanitize animal rooms & caging, monitor
environmental conditions and maintain records
 First to recognize & report potential problems
 Moral and ethical aspects of animal care
 Know regulations for use of research animals.
 Perform:
sanitation, sterilization, changes environment, handle, restrain
& sex animals, identification, records, signs of illness, behavior
 Improper care could disrupt research efforts or
invalidate results.
Ethics of Animal Use
 “Ethics” is defined as:
1) the principles of honor and morality
2) accepted rules of conduct
3) the moral principles of an individual
 Knowledge gained to benefit humans & animals
justifies animals being used in an ethical manner.
 Certain rules must be followed to ensure animals
are used ethically.
 These rules are “The Three R’s.”
The Three R’s
 The 3R’s
Replacement of animals
Refinement of procedures
Reduction to the minimum number
 Cells culture
Cells from one animal may produce enough for many
experiments.
Number of animals used can be reduced.
 Refinement = designing experiment so stress &
pain is minimized.
Animal in surgical procedure given anesthetic during
and analgesic after surgery
Research Beneficiaries
 Animal research has led to medical advances
resulting longer and healthier lives.
 Immediate benefits from biomedical research:
Immunization against infectious diseases.
Antibiotics, insulin, anti-inflammatory, chemotherapy
Replacement, reattachment, transplants, and surgery
Normal lives or abilities for newborn
 Studies in nutrition enhance animal health.
 Vaccines enhance well-being of companion
animals.
 Drugs to fight infections, parasites, and cancer
are tested on research animals.
Additional Reading
Cohen, B.J. “The Early History of Animal Experimentation and Animal
Care.” I. Antiquity. Laboratory Animal Science 9:39–45. 1959.
Cohen, B.J. and Loew, F.M. Laboratory Animal Medicine: Historical
Perspectives. Academic Press, Inc., Orlando, FL. 1984.
Flynn, R.J. “The Founding and Early History of the American Association
for Laboratory Animal Science.” Laboratory Animal Science 30(4, Part
II): 765–779. 1980.
Fox, M.A. The Case for Animal Experimentation—An Evolutionary and
Ethical Perspective. University of California Press, Los Angeles, CA.
1986.
Sechzer, J.A., ed. “The Role of Animals in Biomedical Research,” Vol.
406, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, New York, NY.
1983.