Animal Care and Use (ACU)

These courses cover the general principles of the ethical care and use of animals in research, training, and testing.

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About these Courses

The ACU courses are designed to meet U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) requirements for basic training in the humane care and use of animals.

The courses are intended to help investigators and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members work more productively. Additional courses are available for IACUC chairs, IACUC community members, and institutional officials (IOs), as well as individuals seeking training on post-procedure care and post-approval monitoring or wildlife research. Courses on working with specific animal types are also included.

These courses were written and peer-reviewed by experts.

Upcoming Subscription Changes: Effective July 1, 2023, the ACU series will be reconfigured into two series: ACU Core and ACU Advanced. After July 1, the IACUC Chair, Institutional Official: Animal Care and Use, IACUC Administration, IACUC Protocol Review, and Semiannual Evaluations In Depth courses will be part of the ACU Advanced series. All other ACU courses will be part of the ACU Core series.

Language Availability: English

Suggested Audiences: Animal Workers and Staff, IACUC Chairs, IACUC Community Members, IACUC Members, Institutional Officials, Investigators, Research Assistants, Students


Basic Courses

Working with the IACUC

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This course provides basic training on the protection of animal subjects used in research.

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Essentials for IACUC Members

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This course offers in-depth training for IACUC members.

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IACUC Community Member

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This course provides in-depth training for IACUC community members.

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Post-Procedure Care of Mice and Rats in Research

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This course offers training on post-procedure care of mice and rats in research.

syringes and vials for post procedure care of animals
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Wildlife Research

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This course provides training for persons involved in wildlife research.

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Post-Approval Monitoring (PAM)

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This course offers training on post-approval monitoring.

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Refresher Courses

Working with the IACUC – Refresher

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This course provides retraining on the protection of animal subjects used in research.

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IACUC Member Refresher Case Studies

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This course provides retraining for IACUC members using case studies.

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Additional Courses

Institutional Official: Animal Care and Use

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This course offers training for institutional officials at organizations with an animal research program.

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IACUC Chair

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This course offers training for IACUC chairs.

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Specific Courses

Working with Amphibians in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with amphibians in research settings.

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Working with Cats in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with cats in research settings.

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Working with Cattle in Agricultural Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with cattle in agricultural research settings.

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Working with Dogs in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with dogs in research settings.

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Working with Ferrets in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with ferrets in research settings.

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Working with Fish in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with fish in research settings.

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Working with Genetically Modified Mice in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with genetically modified mice in research settings.

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Working with Gerbils in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with gerbils in research settings.

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Working with Guinea Pigs in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with guinea pigs in research settings.

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Working with Hamsters in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with hamsters in research settings.

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Working with Horses in Agricultural Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with horses in agricultural research settings.

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Working with Mice in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with mice in research settings.

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Working with Non-Human Primates in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with non-human primates in research settings.

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Working with Rabbits in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with rabbits in research settings.

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Working with Rats in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with rats in research settings.

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Working with Reptiles in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with reptiles in research settings.

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Working with Sheep and Goats in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with sheep and goats in research settings.

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Working with Swine in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with swine in research settings.

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Working with Zebrafish (Danio rerio) in Research Settings

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This course provides training on working with zebrafish (danio rerio) in research settings.

Animal Care and Use (ACU)
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FAQs

Do the ACU courses meet any federal mandates or guidelines?

Yes, the ACU courses are designed to help organizations fulfill federal training mandates and guidelines. The U.S. Government PrinciplesHealth Research Extension Act of 1985, USDA Animal Welfare Act and Regulations, and the PHS Policy all refer to the requirement for appropriately trained, qualified, and experienced personnel, as well as availability of instruction and training.

Who should take ACU courses?

Federal training requirements extend not only to individuals who work with animals, but also to those individuals who are charged with overseeing an animal care and use program. ACU courses are designed for each member of the animal care and use community.

Course Suggested Audiences
Working with the IACUC IACUC members, investigators, research assistants, animal workers, staff, and students
Essentials for IACUC Members IACUC members
IACUC Community Member IACUC community members
Post-Procedure Care of Mice and Rats in Research: Reducing Pain and Distress Personnel working with mice and rats in research
Wildlife Research Personnel studying wildlife or reviewing wildlife research protocols
Post-Approval Monitoring (PAM) IACUC members, staff, and investigators
Institutional Official: Animal Care and Use Course Institutional officials
IACUC Chair Course IACUC chairs

When should someone take a refresher ACU course?

Learners: Each organization develops refresher course requirements based on their own animal care and use program needs. Please refer to your organization’s training guidelines.

Administrators: Most organizations select a three-year period of retraining although your organization’s training needs may differ. ACU refresher courses allow organizations multiple options when it comes to developing content to meet their retraining needs, including different timings between basic and refresher course stages depending on the learner group.

What are the standard recommendations for ACU learner groups?

CITI Program allows organizations to customize their learner groups, which means they can choose the content modules their learners need to complete. We can work with your admin to determine the learner groups that best fit your organizational needs. You can also choose to use our recommended learner groups.

How should ACU be structured to create a training program that meets federal regulations and guidelines?

There is no uniform standard regarding the methods and format used for ACU training. CITI Program content is designed to be a component of an overall foundation of training for an organization's affiliates. We recommend that organizations build frameworks of training that combine CITI Program content with face-to-face training, one-on-one mentoring, and other types of learning opportunities, as appropriate to the particular topics and their organizational cultures.

Typically, training should begin with at least one basic course, followed by a refresher course that learners complete within a time period designated by the organization (for example, three years after completing the basic course). ACU also offers animal-specific courses that are meant to supplement the basic course(s) and are presented to learners based on their research activities. Additional standalone courses for institutional officials, IACUC chairs, and IACUC community members, as well as individuals seeking training on post-procedure care, post-approval monitoring, and wildlife research are also available.