Purchasing animals

All animal purchases are procured through the Department of Animal Care and Technologies. The purchase of animals at Arizona State University is governed by policy PUR 207.  

Animals may not be purchased without an approved protocol with sufficient number of animals on it and investigators may not purchase animals on their own without prior approval from the DACT Director and the IACUC. 

To place an animal order, complete the online form (ASU log-in required). A list of vendors and their delivery days can also be found on this form. Orders placed by the close of business on Wednesdays will usually arrive the following week provided the vendor has the animals in stock. Animals will be delivered directly to the building specified on the online order form. A 25-gram range is preferred when ordering rats (e.g., 200-225 grams). 

Transfer of animals from one protocol to another

Any transfer of animals from one approved protocol to another approved protocol must have prior approval by the IACUC. Typically, animal transfers between protocols are a result of excess unmanipulated animals being available after a study or teaching exercise is completed. Approval and any conditions of transfer are determined on a case-by-case basis during review by the IACUC. When animals are transferred from one protocol to another, you must maintain accurate documentation of animal care and use activity. For example, transfer of animals should involve appropriate adjustments in records that keep track of animal use within each protocol. To initiate a request, submit a Request to Transfer Animals between Protocols form to [email protected]. Once approved by the IACUC, DACT staff will facilitate the transfer and the appropriate accounts will be adjusted accordingly.

Tracking animal use

There are two ways to determine the balance of animals available to order on a protocol:

  1. At the end of each month in which expenses have been incurred from DACT, the investigator will receive an emailed invoice from DACT. The invoice tracks the number of animals approved on the protocol and the number of those that remain to be used. These invoices are also emailed to the department’s business office.
  2. Email [email protected] to request a balance.

Tracking animal research expenses

The business office in the investigator’s department is the best resource to explain account balances. They can provide instruction on how to use the ASU Dashboards to review expenditures and balances.

Estimating animal‐related costs for a grant proposal 

When writing a grant proposal to fund research that includes the use of animals, it is vital to accurately estimate costs for the animal‐associated components of the proposal.

  • Animal purchases. Email [email protected] for help estimating these costs. In the email, include information for a typical order for the project – species, strain, age and weight or sex, number of animals in the order and preferred vendor, if applicable. Once you compute the cost of an average order, extrapolate this to cover orders over the life of the project.   
  • Per diem rates. Current ASU per diem rates can be obtained from the Husbandry and Housing page of this website. For additional assistance, email [email protected].
  • Drugs and supplies. Email [email protected] for help estimating these costs. As with animal purchases, provide information for a typical order so we can generate the best estimate.   
  • Research support from DACT personnel. Husbandry, training and clinical care of animals are covered by the per diem rates. However, if you need additional help from DACT personnel to complete research activities (e.g., blood collections, tissue harvests), there will be an additional charge of $30 per hour during the regular work day (Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and $45 per hour after hours, on weekends, and during holidays. Including DACT early in the preparation of the proposal budget will help ensure that the funding requested from the granting agency is sufficient to cover the work. By emailing [email protected], DACT can assure proper routing to provide accurate information in a timely manner.  

Ordering drugs and medical supplies

Drugs and medical supplies can be ordered through the DACT veterinary team via email at [email protected]. Only drugs listed in your approved IACUC protocol may be ordered. When requesting drugs or supplies, include the following information:

  • Principal investigator’s name.
  • IACUC protocol number.
  • Specific items to be ordered:
    • Brand name (if applicable).
    • Size/volume.
    • Strength/concentration.
    • Quantity.
  • Advantage account number to be billed.

Sales of drugs or supplies are billed monthly and emailed to investigators. If there are any discrepancies, notify the DACT business office.

DEA controlled substances

All ASU principal investigators maintaining controlled substances must obtain and maintain their own Research Drug Enforcement Agency license. DEA licenses are free for ASU investigators and must be renewed annually. Information on licenses and the application can be found on the DEA website and in the document, Obtaining a DEA-Controlled Substance License.

Possession of controlled drugs is carefully regulated by the DEA and procedures must be strictly adhered to when using controlled substances. Consult Ordering, Maintaining, and Disposing of Controlled Drugs for Animal-related Research and Teaching for guidance. To procure controlled substances through DACT, you must provide a copy of your Researcher DEA license to [email protected].

Payment for animals, substances and services

The account number provided on the DOU form during an animal order is the account number that animal orders, supplies, or special technician time will be billed to. If there are any changes in the account that should be charged, contact [email protected] immediately. You will be mailed a monthly invoice showing the charges. Unless you make other arrangements, if the designated account is empty, charges will be transferred to your unit or school.