The NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) has issued a reminder for domestic institutions with approved Domestic Animal Welfare Assurances that their Annual Reports for the reporting period October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024, are due by December 1, 2024.
Reporting Requirements
According to the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Section IV.F.1., 2., and 4.), institutions must report to OLAW at least once every 12 months through their Institutional Official (IO). The following key information must be included in these reports:
- Changes in AAALAC International accreditation status
- Modifications to the institution’s animal care program or facilities as outlined in PHS Policy section IV.A.1.a-i.
- Changes in key personnel, such as the Institutional Official (IO) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) membership
- Semiannual evaluations of the program and facilities, including dates these evaluations were conducted
- Any minority views filed by IACUC members
Harmonized Reporting Period and Deadline
The annual reporting period and deadline were adjusted in 2020 to harmonize with the USDA reporting schedule. The current reporting period aligns with the Federal fiscal year (October 1 to September 30), and the Annual Report is due on or before December 1 (but no earlier than September 30).
Instructions for Completing the Annual Report
Institutions must download the updated Annual Report form from the OLAW website and follow these key instructions:
Item I: Program Changes
Select A if no changes have occurred or B if changes have occurred, and provide the necessary details, such as changes in accreditation or program adjustments.
- For changes in AAALAC accreditation status, select the appropriate items if applicable.
- Describe any changes in the institution’s animal care program, with enough detail to replace the information in the currently approved Assurance.
- If there has been a change in the IO, list the current IO’s information.
- Provide an updated IACUC roster if membership has changed since October 1.
Item II: Semiannual Evaluations
Provide at least two dates for program evaluations and facility inspections that occurred within the reporting period (October 1 – September 30).
Item III: Minority Views
If there were no minority views, select A (none). If minority views were submitted, select B, and attach the view(s) exactly as submitted by the IACUC member(s). Do not submit entire meeting minutes or reports, only the minority views portion.
Additional Information
For more details on the submission process and to access the updated Annual Report form, visit the Annual Report to OLAW webpage.
