Post-Approval Monitoring

Mandate & Benefits

Regular onsite presence facilitates a proactive rather than reactive approach to animal-based science compliance and best practices and fosters a collaborative approach to CCAC- and OMAFRA-mandated post-approval monitoring. At Western, post-approval monitoring is stipulated through the Post-Approval Monitoring Policy (POL-005).

Ongoing arms-length presence by ACC members and their delegates is required to:

  • Facilitate effective communication;
  • Provide meaningful support for all involved stakeholders;
  • Help ensure that animal environment, health and welfare issues do not arise and/or are promptly addressed;
  • Identify and quickly resolve concerns, Animal Use Protocol (AUP) drift and/or animal facility concerns; and
  • Address questions from Laboratory Animal Facility Supervisors and animal-based scientists.

Program Elements

Following the approval of an AUP by the ACC, the animal-based scientist must do their best to undertake their AUP in practice as approved, and support the oversight of animal care and use by arms-length designates of the ACC and the University Veterinarian.

Post-approval monitoring must be undertaken using a collaborative approach by all responsible parties to identify and correct all variances from:

  • Approved AUPs;
  • Institutional policies and procedures; and
  • Current veterinary standards.

Above all, the program exists to prevent and/or relieve unnecessary animal pain and suffering.

Post-approval monitoring must be undertaken by arms-length designates of the ACC, who must ensure that all animal holding and use areas, including procedure rooms, are visited with a frequency proportional to risks to animal health and welfare. ACC Leaders and Institutional Veterinarians must have unrestricted access at all times to all areas where animals are held or used.

Post approval monitoring occurs citywide using a number of approaches, including:

  • Regular interactions between ACC members and research personnel;
  • Model development and refinement support from animal health professionals;
  • Animal procurement oversight, per the Research Animal Procurement Policy (POL-008);
  • Daily health checks by trained Animal Care staff, per the Animal Husbandry Policy (POL-010);
  • Sick Animal Response per the Sick Animal Response Policy (POL-009);
  • Animal health professional visits per the Visits by Animal Health Professionals Policy (POL-020);
  • Annual Renewal reviews per the Animal Use Protocols-Annual Reviews Policy (POL-002-B);
  • ACC Site Visits per the ACC Site Visits Policy (POL-019); and
  • Response to Concerns per the Concerns Policy (POL-004).