Office Hours

The Office of Veterinary Resources, central office is open from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. You may contact the main office at ovr.info@nyu.edu. Animal Facility Offices are open from 7:00am - 3:00pm, Monday through Friday. During these hours OVR Animal Technicians will be on site to provide animal care and technical assistance. Technical assistance may be arranged in advance by submission of the technical services request form to the facility supervisor. Any assistance that is required beyond these times can be scheduled through the central office.

Standardized Forms for Use in the Animal Facility

Per Diems and Fee for Service

To defray the expenses for animal care, a system of per diem charges for the maintenance of all experimental animals housed in the Washington Square Animal Facilities has been instituted. The rates reflect the direct costs related to keeping animals, including: food and bedding, but do not offset the cost of diagnostic work, technical supplies and procedures which are charged on a fee for service basis. Census records of all animals on a protocol are kept by OVR animal care staff. Charges are based on the deduct system in which a valid count will be conducted weekly and at the end of each month by the OVR animal technician. When Investigators and/or their staff remove animals, they will are responsible for indicating this on the appropriate housing record in the housing room; OVR staff will add this information to the census records. Bills are distributed monthly and are calculated as the total number of care days multiplied by that species per diem rate.

Security
 
The animal facilities are protected and monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Access can be obtained only after completion of the Animal Welfare Orientation process has been completed.

Visitors

Visitors to the animal facilities who have not completed the Animal Welfare orientation process are not permitted in the facilities unless they have received prior approval from the OVR Director. The health and TB test status of any potential visitors must be reviewed to protect the visitor and to prevent the exposure of research animals and personnel to adventitious agents from the outside environment. Approved visitors must be escorted at all times.

Facility and Lab Cleanliness

All Federal, State and Institutional regulations and policies require that laboratory space in which animals are housed and used be maintained in a clean and orderly state. It is the responsibility of the researchers using that space to fulfill this obligation. Contact the animal technician to obtain clean caging or water bottles. Dirty cages and empty water bottles should not be left in animal rooms; they should be placed in the cage washing area. Laboratory areas are subject to Federal and State inspection.

Facility Inspections

The facility is subject to unannounced inspections by the USDA and by the New York State Department of Health. Upon arrival, regulatory personnel should be taken directly to an OVR representative according to the following priority list:

  1. Director, Office of Veterinary Resources
  2. UAWC Administrator
  3. Veterinary/Technical Manager

Do not allow a person who introduces themselves as an inspector to move about the floor unescorted or to enter any animal or laboratory area until he/she has been identified by one of the above. By law, inspectors may enter any animal housing area or laboratory where animal studies are conducted. While access to an area cannot be denied if the inspector requests entry, the inspectors usually are sensitive to the needs of investigators regarding disruption of an on-going experiment.

Laboratory Inspections

Both the Office of Protection from Research Risks (NIH) and the United States Department of Agriculture policies and regulations require that every animal study area be inspected twice a year by the NYU University Animal Welfare Committee (UAWC). Animal study areas are defined as any area where animal research activities are conducted. At intervals of no more than six months, a sub-committee of the UAWC will inspect all laboratories using the NIH Guide and the USDA regulations as standards. Deficiencies will be given an adequate period of time for correction. The results of these inspections will be included in the UAWC's mandated semi-annual inspection report and kept on file at OVR and the Office of the University President for review by Federal and State Regulators during their unannounced inspections.

Hazardous Materials

Approval for use must be obtained from the NYU Office of Environmental Health & Safety (x81423). In addition, consultation with the OVR Director is required to establish operating procedures for work with the specific biohazardous agent within an animal facility. Disposal of hazardous materials must be done according to guidelines from the Office of Environmental Health & Safety.

Ether

The use of ether for animal anesthesia is prohibited due to its explosive nature. Inhalant alternatives that can be used for rodents are isoflurane, halothane and CO2 gas narcosis. All volatile anesthesia must be used in ventilated hoods or with an appropriate scavaging device.

Sharps

Hypodermic needles and scalpel blades are to be place in red plastic sharp boxes in animal facilities. Hypodermic needles are to be placed UNCAPPED into the receptacle. OVR animal technicians dispose of filled sharps containers.

Vermin Control

The control of vermin (arthropods and wild rodents) is essential to the maintenance of a healthful research environment. The vermin control program is maintained on an outsourced basis from a company determined to be experienced in AAALAC accredited facilities. You are requested to report the sighting of any vermin to an OVR technician.

Surgical Waste

All surgical waste including hair clippings, masks, gauze, gloves, etc. should be accumulated in a red medical waste plastic bag at the site and placed in a medical waste box immediately upon completion of the procedure. Under no circumstances is animal waste or procedural material to be placed in regular waste-paper baskets, or in the carcass freezer.