Guidelines for Satellite Animal Facilities

Definition of a Satellite Facility

An animal facility maintained by the investigator (i.e., it is not one of the core University of Maine vertebrate animal holding facilities) where animals are housed for greater than 12 hours for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) species, and all other animals that are housed for more than 24 hours. Daily husbandry and management must be conducted by the lab. The satellite space is not supported by the core Animal Facility staff.

Satellite Application Steps

Approval of an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocol and approval of a Satellite Animal Facility are two separate approvals. Approval of a protocol does not imply automatic approval of the proposed Satellite Animal Facility. Satellite Facilities are approved only if sufficiently justified. The process of Satellite Animal Facility approval is dependent on several factors and the process can take a considerable amount of time.

The steps for development of a Satellite Facility at the University of Maine are as follows:

  1. Written justification for a Satellite Animal Facility in the protocol approved by the IACUC.
  2. Review by Safety Management (SM), IACUC and the Attending Veterinarian of the following:
    • Space assignment
    • Satellite Disaster Plan
    • Appropriate SOPs for the space
  3. Final inspection and approval by the IACUC (with assistance from SM)
  4. Upon completion of steps 1-3, the space may be occupied

Approval Steps for the Principal Investigator (PI)

  1. The PI must submit a request with justification to the IACUC through a protocol. The justification cannot be based on convenience. It must be based on the inability to house animals in one of the core Facilities (Aquaculture Research Center [ARC], Small Animal Research Facility [SARF], Zebrafish Facility, Witter Farm, Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research [CCAR]) owing to the inability of a core facility to provide desired space, care, or for scientific reasons.
  2. The PI must submit the completed Satellite Disaster Plan paperwork and any Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the space to the IACUC Office.
  3. If the IACUC has approved the justification and appropriate paperwork has been submitted, the PI can begin coordinating an initial inspection. IACUC and SM representatives must be included in the initial inspection. These representatives will be able to identify issues such as safe arrangement of equipment in the space, proper storage of equipment, adequate air exchanges, ability to control temperature, humidity and light cycles, etc. If representatives find any concerns during initial inspection, the PI will need to schedule a re-inspection once the concerns have been addressed.
  4. Prior to using the space to house the animals, the PI must receive written notification from the IACUC Office of approval for using the space to house vertebrates.

Maintenance of the Satellite Site – PI Responsibilities

  • It is the responsibility of the PI to ensure that all federal and institutional requirements are implemented consistently. This includes the care and use of all animals, seven days a week including weekends and holidays. The PI must maintain daily husbandry documentation, which includes date, caretaker initials, and a description of tasks (daily observations, feed, cage cleaning, water quality monitoring, temperature/humidity etc.).
  • All required signage must be posted. This includes any safety signage, after-hours emergency contact information along with veterinary contact information for health related issues. The PI is responsible for maintaining an accurate emergency contact information sheet.
  • It is the responsibility of the PI to ensure that anyone providing care for animals in the Satellite Facility has been adequately trained.
  • Appropriate caging, food, water, bedding, cleaning materials, etc. are the responsibility of the PI. Stored materials must be kept in sealed vermin-proof containers. Milling date or date of expiration must be clearly indicated on animal feed.
  • Biosecurity: PI are responsible for implementing methods to minimize the risk of pathogen transmission. Examples include the use of foot baths at points of entry to the facility and use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Personnel handling wild rodents should not enter the SARF on the same day.
  • The PI should alert the IACUC when animals no longer are being held at the satellite facility.