The specific aim of this animal resources improvement proposal is to continue the University's progress toward laboratory animal care centralization and attaining AAALAC accreditation. The University is 75-80% complete in renovation of all its lab animal facilities. Facilities on the main campus have been centralized or completely renovated but some facilities on other parts of the campus are outdated and must be upgraded to meet the above goals. The """"""""Foxhound"""""""" building in the surgical/metabolic laboratory on the foothills campus currently houses laboratory animals used by the departments of Physiology, Radiation Biology, and Pathology. Sheep, calves, dogs, rabbits and rodents are used extensively by investigators in these departments and require quality indoor housing. The research done in the Foxhound building totals more than $2.8 million of annual research and teaching grants from NIH, USDA, EPA and the State of Colorado. The centralized animal facilities on the main campus were not designed to house the larger species listed and the current facilities on the foothills campus do not meet the environmental standards outlined in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and therefore are inadequate for AAALAC accreditation. This proposal has the following specific aims for renovation of the Foxhound facility.
SPECIFIC AIM #1 : To renovate the Foxhound building on the foothills campus to provide 1) an upgraded air handling system with air conditioning and elimination of 50-100% air recirculation, 2) solid ceilings, 3) re-grading the floors in two rooms to allow efficient cleaning of runs for small ruminants or dogs, and 4) epoxy covering for the floors, walls and ceilings, and 5) renovate one room by building five cubicles, each to house different small animal species or investigator's projects.
SPECIFIC AIM #2 : To provide equipment as follows; 1) purchase stainless steel runs with the versatility to house small ruminants, dogs, or swine in two rooms, 2) equip one room with stainless steel cages for rabbits, and 3) purchase racks and rodent cages to house rodents in cubicles.
