The specific aim of this animal resource improvement proposal is to continue the University's progress toward AAALAC accreditation. The University is 80-85% complete in renovation of all lab animal facilities but some are outdated and must be improved. The research animal facility and the quarantine facility at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) currently house cats and/or dogs in projects from the departments of Radiology and Radiation Biology, and Clinical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences totaling $1.84 million of annual research and teaching grants. However, the CSU Animal Care and Use Committee and the USDA has cited the research animal facilities as inadequate with regard to cage size, species, and source separation capabilities, and physical plant defects. Cats on quarantine must now be housed together with newly arrived random source cats in the VTH since the quarantine facility lacks space to house cats. This makes it impossible to meet the requirements of the """"""""Guide"""""""" for animal source and health status separation. For dogs, the individual cages cannot be properly cleaned and runs are too small to house large dogs in pairs. With the pending USDA requirements for larger cage size and socialization, these runs will undoubtedly be too small. In the quarantine facility one room has no HVAC system and cannot be used for animals now but could be used for cats. This proposal has the following specific aims for renovation of the VTH research animal and quarantine facilities.
Specific Aim # 1: To renovate the VTH research animal facilities to provide; 1) regraded and trenched floors to allow efficient cleaning of dog runs, 2) replacement of dog cages and runs with stainless steel cages and elevated floor runs with versatility to adapt to larger cage size requirements or other species such as swine or ruminants, 3) two rooms to house conditioned cats, 4) solid ceilings, 5) epoxy floor, wall and ceiling covering, and 6) relocation of office space.
Specific Aims #2 : To renovate room 101 of the quarantine facility to allow quarantine and conditioning cats by providing; 1) an HVAC system, 2) four cubicle rooms for isolation and quarantine of cats, 3) solid ceiling, 4) epoxy floor, wall and ceiling coverings, and 5) a room with a dishwasher capable of supplying 180oF water to disinfect food and water bowls used in this facility, 6) new 4 sq. ft. cat cages for the cubicles.
