During the years of 1984-1985 the University of Arizona Laboratory Care Committee became increasingly aware of the national animal rights movement and its implication of the future of animal research. The local atmosphere, along with evaluation of the changes in the PHS Policy focused the Animal Committee and the Campus-wide research community on the necessity for bringing the whole Campus into full accreditation by AAALAC. In 1985 the Vice President for Research made the directive that a new hierarchy of animal care be mandated by the University. The approach is 2-fold: bringing all Campus facilities into compliance with NIH guidelines, and the establishment of a centralized structure of animal care for the University Laboratory Animal Medicine Program. The application to NIH for renovation money is a significant step toward the final products: compliance with NIH and AAALAC standards Campus-wide and the ultimate goal - -- the highest quality animal care.
