General Procedures
• The ARC provides euthanasia of investigators mice and rats as a service, free of charge.
• Animals scheduled for euthanasia should be placed on a cage rack in the post mortem room in the appropriate facility.
• Animals must be treated humanely even though they are scheduled for euthanasia.
• Make sure all cages that are placed on the post mortem room cage racks have food and water.
• Do not place overcrowded cages on the rack.
• Notify the ARC office immediately if unweaned pups are to be left in the postmortem room without a mother. The ARC will euthanize these animals immediately. It is not humane to leave pups for any length of time without a source of warmth and nourishment.
• Once animals have been brought to the postmortem room for euthanasia they may not leave the room.
• If you wish to utilize the animals in postmortem for practicing handling or technical procedures you must make arrangements through the Veterinary Services staff.
• The post mortem cooler is for dead animals only.
• Place bagged carcasses in freezers and refrigerators provided in the postmortem rooms.
• Do not dump bedding in biohazard containers for disposal.
• All carcasses from larger species must be processed and placed in biohazard bags before being placed in the postmortem freezer. The total container weight including the lid must not exceed 60 pounds.
Guidelines for Investigator Performed Euthanasia:
• Investigators performing their own euthanasia, must contact a veterinary technician for training before euthanizing animals for the first time
• Only rodents can be euthanized using C02
• Cages must not be stacked more than two high in the chamber.
Steps for CO 2 Euthanasia:
- Place rodents in chamber, remove filter tops, keep wire bar lids in place
- Allow adult mice to remain in the chamber for an additional 5 minutes
- Leave preweaning, infant mice in the chamber for 30 additional minutes
- Verify that all rodents have been properly euthanized by observing for 10 minutes prior to placing them in a bag
- Place rodents in a biohazard bag and place it in the cooler
Procedures for Handling Dead Animals
• Animals found dead by ARC husbandry staff are placed in the postmortem cooler
• Dead animals are bagged. A save tag and the pink copy of the MMR is affixed to the bag.
• The bag is placed on a shelf in the cooler, which is labeled with the day of the week in which it was found dead.
• Animals are left in the cooler for a minimum of three days and then discarded.
• Investigators are notified of deaths on a daily basis
Use of Postmortem Room and Animals
• The postmortem room may be used free of charge for terminal procedures and tissue harvests.
• Use the sign up sheet on the door to prevent conflicts
• Recovery procedures on any species are not permitted in the post mortem room.
• Animals left in the post mortem may be used to practice procedures under the supervision of the ARC Veterinary Services Branch with an approved animal protocol that lists all personnel performing procedures.
• Procedures must take place in the postmortem room.
• Post mortem room animals may not be taken to investigator labs for procedures.
• Animals placed in the room for euthanasia must be labeled with the PI name, protocol number and telephone number. Animals should have a cage card on the cage whenever they are brought to the room.
• No live animals may be taken from the postmortem room.
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