FAQs for Principle Investigators
Ordering Animals/Drugs/ Supplies and Invoicing
1. How do I order animals?
Please email your animal orders to [email protected] and attach a completed DOU.
 Charles River is our “default” rodent vendor and will be used if you do not specify a vendor.
 When ordering rodents by weight, a 25 gram range is preferred (200-225 grams, for example).
 Orders placed by the close of business on Wednesdays will usually arrive the following week as long as the
animals are in stock. Your animals will be delivered directly to the building specified in the DOU.
Note – you can only order animals once you have an approved IACUC protocol.
2. Can I purchase animals myself?
No. ASU Purchasing Policy PUR 401-01 states that all live vertebrate animals must be purchased through DACT
unless there is prior approval from the DACT and IACUC.
3. When will my animals arrive?
Arrival day:
Rodents ordered from Harlan
Monday
Rodents ordered from Charles River, Jackson, or Taconic Tuesday
Guinea Pigs
Tuesday
Rabbits
Wednesday
For other species refer to detailed description in the Animal Ordering document found here.
4. How do I go about ordering drugs and other medical supplies needed for my project?
Drugs and medical supplies can be ordered through the DACT business office. Only those drugs and supplies that
are listed in your IACUC-approved protocol can be ordered through DACT. To order veterinary drugs or supplies,
send an e-mail to Colleen Benton at [email protected] and include the following information:
a Principal Investigator’s name
b IACUC Protocol Number
c Advantage Account Number
d Item(s) to be ordered – include brand (if applicable), size/volume, strength/concentration, quantity to
be ordered, and any other pertinent information to ensure the correct item(s) are ordered.
5. What is the procedure for procuring and storing controlled substances that I use as part of my IACUC-approved
animal research, teaching, or testing?
Each investigator that will be using and storing controlled drugs in their laboratory must obtain a Researcher DEA
license. Directions for completing the online application can be found here.
The license is free for ASU investigators and must be renewed annually. If you have any problems or questions
with the online application process, please contact the DACT business office, for assistance.
If you plan to procure controlled drugs through the DACT, please e-mail a copy of your Researcher DEA license to
Colleen Benton. Include the names of individuals who are authorized to order and pick up controlled substances
on your behalf. Specific storage and documentation requirements can be found here.
FAQs for Principle Investigators: Ordering Animals/Drugs/ Supplies and Invoicing
Page 2 of 6
6. How will I pay for my animals, supplies and per diems?
When you order animals, please include an Advantage account number on your DOU form. Your animals, per
diems and any supply sales or special technician time will be billed to the account number every month. Please
notify Colleen Benton ([email protected]) if there are any changes in the accounts that should be charged.
You will be emailed a monthly invoice showing your charges. If the designated account is empty, charges will be
transferred to your department or school, unless you make other arrangements.
7. What are the current per diem rates?
Per diem rates can be found here. Per Diem Rates
IACUC
1. Where can I find the forms and process description for submitting a new or renewal IACUC protocol or amendment
request?
This information can be located on the ASU IACUC website.
2. What do I need to do if someone leaves my laboratory and is no longer working with my animals?
The PI or their designee should send an e-mail to the IACUC notifying them to remove the individual from their
IACUC-approved protocol(s). In addition, contact DACT at 480 965 6152 so the person’s vivarium access can be
removed.
Supplies and Services
1. What do I do if I need extra rodent caging or caging supplies (water bottles, feeders, etc.)?
Extra rodent caging is provided in each vivarium in small quantities, typically in the animal housing room or
storage area. If you are uncertain where supplies may be found, please speak with a DACT staff member. Send
requests for large numbers of cages or caging required on a regular basis to the DACT vivarium supervisor or lead
technologist at least 3 business days in advance of when the caging will be needed. If caging for study purposes
beyond that of daily husbandry is required for your study, additional charges may be assessed to your account.
Please contact DACT (vivarium supervisor, or DACT Assistant Director) to request additional caging and to
determine whether additional fees would be applicable. In order to ensure the health and safety of animals and
animal users alike, we ask that researchers and students not enter cage wash areas.
2. What if I have special caging requirements for my animals?
Special caging requests are to be relayed to DACT as you prepare for your study. In addition please supply that
information on the DOU when animals are ordered. Special caging requests (i.e., procuring caging that we do
not currently have in our caging inventory) may require significant lead times. Special caging that is not part of
DACT’s inventory will generally require an additional charge to the investigator to cover the cost of purchase.
3. What are the environmental conditions and possibilities?
a Standard holding temperature for rodents is 74°F +/- 2°.
b Standard light cycle is 12light/12dark.
c Standard air changes is 15 air changes per hour.
d In most holding rooms, light cycles can be set as the PI wishes.
e In most holding rooms, temperature can be set between 62° and 82°F.
To request non-standard environmental parameters, work with your vivarium supervisor.
FAQs for Principle Investigators: Ordering Animals/Drugs/ Supplies and Invoicing
Page 3 of 6
4. What if I am here on the weekend or at night and I have a veterinary concern?
There is always a vet on call. The “on-call vet” and contact information is listed at the main entrance(s) to each
vivarium.
5. What do I do if there is a facilities problem in the area I am working in (i.e., lights burned out)
Contact a DACT vivarium supervisor and/or lead technologist to report any maintenance issues.
arrange to have repairs made.
DACT will
6. I have something that needs to be autoclaved (steam or gas sterilized). Can DACT do that for me?
Yes, there is a charge of $25.00 per load for this service. For routine steam sterilization procedures, please make
arrangements with the lead technologist or vivarium supervisor at least 24 hours before dropping off any items
for autoclaving. If your items need to remain sterile after autoclaving (i.e. surgical instruments), please have
them packaged appropriately for autoclaving before dropping them off. This means that the items must be
labeled with your name, wrapped in the appropriate sterilization material [such as sterilization pouches], and
include a sterilization indicator. If you need training on how to properly prepare items for either steam or gas
sterilization, please contact the DACT veterinary staff for assistance.
If you have delicate items that can only be sterilized via ethylene oxide gas, please contact the Veterinary &
Technical Services supervisor at least 5 business days in advance of needing the item sterilized. Please note that
DACT is not responsible for any damages that may occur to equipment from autoclaving.
Vivarium Access
1. How do I get access to the vivarium?
All animal users needing access to the vivarium must be listed on the approved IACUC protocol. Once on the
protocol, each individual will need to complete a Vivarium Access Request form, which must be signed by the PI
(or their designee). Each animal user must also meet with the lead technologist or supervisor of the vivarium
where their animals will be housed for orientation and facility-specific training. Once completed, vivarium
access is usually granted within 24 hours.
2. May I bring friends or professional colleagues into the vivarium to see the animals and facilities?
Friends may not be brought into the vivarium; we try to restrict the number of people entering in order to protect
the animals. However, professional colleagues may be brought into the vivarium for scientific reasons.
Professional visitors need to be signed in on the visitor sign in sheet at the entrance to the vivarium and be
escorted at all times. A person MAY NOT touch or perform any procedures with the animals if they are not listed
as personnel on your IACUC approved protocol.
3. What do I need to do if my SunCard access to the vivarium stops working?
Any time your card does not work in the vivarium, call DACT first at 5-6152 (not the SunCard office). Two
common reasons why your SunCard may have stopped working:
a You obtained a new SunCard - Each SunCard is uniquely encoded and must be reprogrammed in the DACT
vivarium access system. For ISAAC access (swipe), all DACT needs is the new number on the back of the
card. For Onity access (dip locks), the card may need to be encoded. Card encoding is done at the DACT
main office in ISTB1 suite 122.
b You have been at ASU for more than 5 years – after 5 years, your card will automatically “time out”. Please
contact the DACT main office (5-6152) to get your card reactivated.
FAQs for Principle Investigators: Ordering Animals/Drugs/ Supplies and Invoicing
Page 4 of 6
Training
1. Who will provide the vivaria specific facility training as required for facility access?
The DACT lead technologists or vivarium supervisors will provide facility training to students, staff, as well as the
PI. A facility training form will be completed by the lead or supervisor and turned it to the DACT administrative
offices for filing.
a LSB/D lead technologist is Dustin: [email protected]
b ISTB1, Psychology and LSB/D vivaria supervisor is Sandra: [email protected]
c Biodesign B vivarium supervisor is Nathan: [email protected]
2. How is the Level I and Level II training required for protocol addition conducted?
Level I Basic Lab Animal Training and Level II can be found here. Level II training is dependent upon the species
with which you will be working.
3. Who will train my staff and me on how to properly handle and restrain the animal(s) I will be working with?
For rodents, the DACT leads technologists, supervisors, and/or veterinarians will provide the training, to students,
staff, as well as the PI if requested.
a LSB/D lead technologist is Dustin: [email protected]
b ISTB1 and Psychology vivaria supervisor is Sandra: [email protected]
c Biodesign B vivarium supervisor is Nathan: [email protected]
d DACT Clinical Veterinarian is Dr. Browning: [email protected]
For non-rodent species (i.e., non-traditional species), you, as the PI, or your designee may provide the handling
training if you wish. Please refer to the IACUC Level III training document here for additional details.
4. Who will train my staff and me to perform the basic procedures I will be conducting on live animals (i.e., injections,
blood collection, euthanasia)?
DACT veterinary staff is available to provide hands-on procedural techniques training to PI’s, students, or staff,
please contact them for scheduling. In addition, you, as the PI, or your designee may provide the handling
training if you wish. Please refer to the IACUC Level III training document here for additional details.
5. Who will provide training on administering and monitoring anesthesia, aseptic technique, surgery, and postoperative monitoring/care?
The DACT veterinary staff can provide training on administering and monitoring anesthesia, aseptic technique,
and post-operative monitoring and care. Surgical procedural training should be provided by a DACT veterinarian,
PI, or PI designee that has extensive experience in the surgery to be performed. All training records must be
submitted to the IACUC using the Level III Training Documentation Form that can be found here.
6. Is there a fee for training?
No. Training is an integral part of regulatory compliance and is provided at no charge to investigator personnel.
7. If there is a technique that I do not feel comfortable doing unsupervised or if I do not have personnel available to
conduct the work, can the DACT staff assist me or do it for me?
Yes, as long as the procedure we are being requested to do is within our means to perform. Please contact the
AV to request such assistance. If it is a new technique or part of model development, the DACT veterinary staff
can assist investigator personnel to acquire the proficiency needed to complete the experimental objectives.
Depending on the specific situation, there may be a fee for technical services to assist in a project beyond training.
FAQs for Principle Investigators: Ordering Animals/Drugs/ Supplies and Invoicing
Page 5 of 6
Vivarium Resources
1. What resources are available in the vivaria?
a PI procedure areas attached to animal holding rooms
b Surgery suites
c Anesthesia machines ranging from rodents up to large animals (training in proper use is available upon
request)
d Xenogen imaging (training on use available upon request)
e ABSL1, ABSL2 and ABSL3 animal holding areas
f Isolation animal holding rooms
g Necropsy rooms with downdraft table and overhead lighting
h Sterile side prep areas to provide sterile caging for immune compromised rodents
i Tabletop autoclaves
j Bulk autoclaves
k Anprolene gas sterilizers (DACT can autoclave supplies for a fee)
l Locker rooms
m Break rooms
n Laundry facilities
Other Information
• ASU Internal Links
– Animal User’s Advisory Committee
– Environmental Health & Safety
– Media/Public Relations
– Office of Research Integrity & Assurance
– IACUC
– Institutional Biosafety Committee
– ASU Museum, Galleries, and Collections
• Investigator Resources
– DACT Personnel Contact Information
– Facility Access –
– Facility and Program Descriptions for Grants • Biodesign Building B Vivarium
The 325,724 sq. ft. vivarium for animal-based research is on the lower level of the Biodesign Institute
Building B, which is located on the east side of the ASU Tempe campus.
• Interdisciplinary Science & Technology Building 1 (ISTB1) Vivarium
The 11,753 sq. ft. vivarium for animal-based research is located in the north half of the basement of ISTB1,
which is located near the center of the Tempe campus.
• Life Science Building A (LSA) Living Collection
The Living Collection (consisting of Arizona native reptiles) is primarily used as an educational and outreach
tool for ASU. It has been a part of ASU for over 30 years. The Living Collection lines the corridors of the
first floor of the Life Sciences Complex Building A. The display cases are indented within the hallway walls.
FAQs for Principle Investigators: Ordering Animals/Drugs/ Supplies and Invoicing
Page 6 of 6
There are 15 displays with double paned glass for additional security. The displays have two lockable
doors that open into the display from above. There is an additional screened door between the opening
doors and the body of the display itself for additional security. Each display has fluorescent lights on a
pneumatic timer. Additional incandescent lights are used to provide heating allowing thermoregulation.
• Life Science Building B (LSB) Vivarium
The 4,394 sq. ft. two story vivarium is adjacent to the Life Sciences complex near the center of the Tempe
campus.
• Life Science Building D (LSD) Vivarium
The facility is a separate building adjacent to LSB. The first floor (3,080 sq. ft.) is used by the DACT to house
primarily birds, ectotherms, and invertebrates. Three rooms on the second floor (202 [only a portion of
the room is used for fish and is approximately 10 sq. ft.], 203 [76 sq. ft.] & 204 [76 sq. ft.]) located within the
greenhouse are used to house wild birds and fish.
• Psychology Facility
The Psychology building, which is located on the east side of the Tempe Campus, contains approximately
10,771 sq. ft. of animal housing and support space (rodents and pigeons used for behavioral neuroscience
research). A section of the first floor is used for cage sanitation and storage. A section of the third floor
is used for animal housing, procedural space, and PI wet labs.