Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees
Methods of handling and euthanizing animals for research need to be approved by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs) to ensure that no animals are used unnecessarily and discomfort and injury are minimized. These federally mandated committees, comprised of researchers, members of the public, and veterinarians, oversee and evaluate all aspects of the institution's use of animals in lab and field research. Duties include review and approval of experimental and husbandry protocols developed by research labs, as well as inspection of facilities that house animals.