Policies and Procedures

CLAR Animal Facility Access Policy

The majority of CLAR's animal rooms are on a 12 hour on/12 hour off light/dark cycle. The lights automatically turn on at 7:00 AM and off at 7:00 PM or 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, depending on Daylight Savings Time, with a few exceptions. Please do not manually manipulate the lights within the CLAR Animal Facility.

  • Work conducted in the animal rooms should not begin before 7:00 AM and should end before 7:00 PM or 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, depending on Daylight Savings Time. If you need access to the animal facility during dark hours, a written request is required.
  • For reasons of security, public health and animal health, anyone wishing to enter the animal facilities must have an authorized MSM swipe badge issued in their name. Records of their credentials and swipe badge authorization must be on file with the Center for Laboratory Animal Resources Administrative Office (404-752-1724).
  • Only individuals listed on an approved MSM-IACUC protocol can handle research animals under the care of the CLAR Animal Facility.
  • New personnel may not access CLAR Animal Facilities until they have attended the CLAR Orientation session, submitted all required documentation to the CLAR Admin office and a Badge Access Approval form has been authorized by CLAR Administrative Staff and submitted to Public Safety.
  • Persons less than 18 years old are prohibited from entering the facilities at all times.
  • Please do not allow unauthorized individuals to use a swipe badge issued in someone else's name or allow them to handle research animals.
  • The CLAR Administrative Office cannot be used as a means to enter or leave the Animal Facility.
  • Any individual working in the CLAR Animal Facility must adhere to all Standard Operating Procedures.

CLAR Visitor Policy

  • For reasons of security, public health and animal health, anyone wishing to visit the animal facilities must register with the Center for Laboratory Animal Resources office (404-752-1724).
  • Visitors to the CLAR Animal Facility must be accompanied by their faculty sponsor or a member of the Center for Laboratory Animal Resources staff. The visit should be approved, in advance, by the Director of CLAR Operations.
  • Staff access to animal facilities is limited to persons whose assigned duties require that they enter the facilities.

CLAR Animal Ordering Policy as of January 1, 2013

All CLAR Purchase Request Forms for Research Animals must include the following information:

  • The date the order is being placed, the date the animals are required, the approved protocol number the animals are being ordered under, the P.O. #, the vendor chosen, the name of the person requesting the order, the principal investigator's name, your department name, your extension, the species to be ordered, the sex of the animals, the strain or stock number of the animal, quantity, and a weight or age specification.
  • If your Purchase Request Form for Research Animals is missing any of the above information, the order will be returned to you and will not be placed until the missing information is provided. CLAR cannot be held responsible for the submission of incomplete animal orders.
  • Animal orders will not be placed without a current PO. In addition, if you do not have available funds on your PO at the time you submit your order, the order will not be placed until the funds are available.
  • CLAR Animal Facility personnel will contact you at the email listed on your animal order once the animals arrive.
  • All outstanding CLAR per diem charges must be cleared before placing additional orders for research animals.

CLAR Per Diem Policy as of January 1, 2013

  • All CLAR Purchase Request Forms for Research Animals must be accompanied by an approved purchase order (for AUC PI's) or an approved requisition (for MSM PI's) to cover subsequent Per Diem charges for the period of time the animals will be housed in CLAR facilities.
  • Your quarterly Per Diem invoice will reflect the current total amount available for use on your account. Please pay close attention to this information to avoid your account reaching a past due status. If your account reaches a past due status, you will receive a memo detailing the current total due. These memos should be addressed immediately by clearing the total amount due on your account.
  • CLAR cannot continue to, breed, order additional animals or house additional animals for investigators with PAST DUE accounts.