The MSU Office of Laboratory Animal Resources (OLAR) is the service unit that provides veterinary care and animal husbandry resources for all animals required in biomedical research, teaching, and testing programs at MSU. The OLAR operates under the administrative authority of the President of MSU. The President has delegated institutional authority to the Vice President for Research (VPR), who serves as the MSU Institutional Official. The Director of OLAR reports to the VPR. The Manager of the Laboratory Animal Resources and Care (LARAC) unit reports to the Director of OLAR.
The OLAR animal care and use program is accredited by AAALAC International, is registered by the USDA, and maintains an Animal Welfare Assurance with the Public Health Service.
Federal Regulations require that institutions conducting animal based biomedical research, teaching and testing provide these animals with “adequate veterinary care.” As defined by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, “adequate veterinary care” includes
- Lawful and quality animal procurement and transportation
- Disease surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and resolution
- Guidance to animal users and monitoring of animal use to assure that appropriate methods of handling and restraining are being used, and to ensure proper use of anesthetics, tranquilizers, analgesics, and methods of euthanasia
- Guidance, review, and approval of all preoperative, surgical, and postoperative procedures
- The promotion and monitoring of animal well-being including physical and psychological aspects of an animal’s condition
- Involvement in the review of animal use protocols.
Services also provided by the OLAR include vendor selection, animal daily care, observations, quarantine, testing, animal health and environmental surveillance, animal model selection, and investigator training.
Additionally, OLAR assists with the provision of adequate animal holding facilities and the provision of technical services and facilities for surgical research, post-operative care, and necropsy.