Animal Care Services has been working to simplify the animal transfer process for both researchers and administrative staff. Based on feedback from researchers, staff, and veterinarians, we have updated the process for transferring animals between UBC Animal Care and Use Program (ACUP) facilities. Our goal remains to ensure full compliance with ACC and CCAC policies and guidelines and approved animal protocols as well as streamlined communications.
The revised process leverages UBC’s animal management system – Mosaic. An ACUP transfer task request in Mosaic clearly establishes the animals to be transferred and the approval workflow required, and a revised transport & transfer form outlines the requirements and other key information. This ensures transfers can be approved and carried out as efficiently as possible.
Below is the outline of the ACUP transfer process, effective March 1, 2021. The request process follows the same principle as animal orders, where the transfer needs to be approved first, then can be completed. The revised transport & transfer form is available on the ACUP Procurement website. As of March 1, 2021, the “relocate” task in Mosaic will be inactivated – it was previously used by some researchers to request animal transfers.
For any animal transfers, a minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required. Approvals may take up to 72 hours (not including weekends).
How to request animal transfers between ACUP facilities
A. Animal transfers between different ACUP facilities, same Primary Investigator or different Primary Investigator
1. Sending lab
a. requests ACUP transfer task in Mosaic,
b. assigns task in Mosaic to sending facility admins (e.g. BRC admins),
c. emails the attached transport & transfer form to anca.orders@ubc.ca, cc: sending AND receiving facility managers.
Note: sending lab should confirm with the receiving lab any information on the transport & transfer request form
2. Receiving lab
a. requests colony at receiving facility in Mosaic if it does not exist already.
3. ACUP Procurement (anca.orders@ubc.ca)
a. collects all approvals (sending & receiving facility managers and receiving facility vet) via email,
b. and coordinates transport as required.
B. Animal transfers within same ACUP facility, between different Primary Investigators (labs)
1. Sending lab
a. requests ACUP transfer task in Mosaic (in request comments, include required information based on the transport & transfer form)
b. and assigns the task in Mosaic to their facility admins (e.g. BRC admins).
2. Receiving lab
a. requests colony in Mosaic if it does not exist in Mosaic already
3. Facility admin
a. involves facility vet if required and coordinates transfer
C. Animal transfers within same ACUP facility, same Primary Investigator
1. Lab performs or requests or performs the protocol transfer ownership task in Mosaic, and requests or performs any associated cage move task(s).
What are the prerequisites for a transfer approval?
Prerequisites for transfers to be approved are:
- Animals are verified by facility staff/management to be healthy enough to be transferred.
- Receiving protocol is valid, and that it states:
- receiving housing and/or experimental location,
- species and strain of the animals requested to be transferred, and
- number and sex of animals to be transferred is within the limits of the approved allowed count for the receiving protocol.
- Method of transporting the animals (if transporting between facilities) must be in line with the ACC policies on transport and the method must be detailed on the transport & transfer form and approved by the vets prior to movement of any animals.
How to request transfers from/to CMMT and HLI (St. Paul’s) since these facilities are not using Mosaic?
CMMT and HLI (St. Paul’s) facilities are not actively using Mosaic so the process differs slightly:
- Animal transfers to CMMT and HLI will follow the same process as animal transfers to other ACUP facilities, except that the sending facility completes all steps in Mosaic for both the sending & the receiving facility (i.e. approve ACUP transfer request, create colony, perform transfer ownership request).
- For Animal transfers from CMMT and HLI, labs only email the transfer & transport request form to anca.orders@ubc.ca. Once the transfer request is approved, ACUP Procurement team enters the transfer as an animal order in Mosaic. The animals to be transferred are then received like a traditional order in Mosaic by the receiving facility.
Further information is available on the ACUP SharePoint/Mosaic Help page, and please reach out to mosaic.admin@ubc.ca if you have questions.