Guidelines on Breeding Colonies for Maintaining Mice

Adopted by the University Committee on Animal Resources

A protocol may be submitted requesting breeding colonies for maintaining mice for the following purposes:

• Breeding and maintaining mice for a research protocol
• Breeding mice to obtain tissues for a research protocol

The protocol must include pertinent information, including each strain of mouse to be bred, approximate numbers, and the person responsible for the breeding colony.  Adding strains to the colony will require a modification to the protocol.

Only breeding and colony maintenance will be allowed, including genotyping and identification of animals.  Animals that will not be used for research can be euthanized on this protocol.  All animals that will be used for research, even if only to collect tissues or prepare cells, must be transferred to the appropriate research protocol.

To move mice from the colony protocol to a research protocol on which experiments will be performed on live mice, the following must be done:

• Complete a Vivarium Animal Transfer Form (before you plan to use the animals on the new project) and submit to the Animal Resource Office. 
• Cage tags or labels will be provided to the PI to put on the animal cages. 
• Manipulations may not occur until the Animal Resource Office notifies the investigator that the transfer is approved. 
• Follow all Vivarium policies about moving mice to other animal rooms, etc. 

To move mice from breeding protocol to research protocol for the purpose of euthanasia and tissue/cell harvest, the following must be done:

• Complete a Vivarium Animal Transfer Form and submit to the UCAR Office.   This form will be used for tracking animal numbers

When culling the breeding colony, animals may be offered to other Principal Investigators for their use.   A Vivarium Animal Transfer Form must be completed and submitted to the Animal Resource Office for processing.  Manipulations may not occur until the Animal Resource Office notifies the investigator that the transfer is approved.  Cage tags or labels will be provided to the PI to put on the animal cages.

updated 3/22/06