Housing of Different Species in the Same Room
IACUP Policy
Effective Date: February 2023
I. Purpose
UCSF is committed to ensuring that all animals are ensured appropriate housing in all animal husbandry. This policy has been developed to ensure that UCSF complies with the Guide for the Care and Use of Animals, 8th Edition, and the Animal Welfare Act and Regulations.
II. Policy
General Standards
This policy applies to all animals cared for at UCSF. In general, all animals at UCSF are separated by species and microbiological status. A small number of different species may be housed in the same room when required and appropriate measures are taken to prevent interspecies disease transmission and eliminate the potential for anxiety and physiological and behavioral changes due to interspecies conflict (see A. below).
Housing of different species in the same room (not in the same primary enclosure) may be permitted if there is need and if the two species are of similar pathogen status and behaviorally and environmentally compatible. The need to house animals of different species in the same room can be the result of factors such as space limitations, research needs, sentinel requirements and/or equipment availability, or other reasons approved by the IACUC. Deviation from the following species-specific same-housing room parameters requires IACUC approval.
A. Compatible Rodent Species
- Examples include rats and mice, gerbils and hamsters, guinea pigs, and voles, etc.
- In all such cases, the animals have a similar pathogen status.
- Animals are housed in individually ventilated cages or static microisolator cages.
B. Sentinel mice and other rodent species
- Sentinel mice may be housed in a housing room for other rodent species such as voles, hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs.
- Sentinel mice are tested on a quarterly or semi-annual basis and provide important information on the health status of the colony.
C. Finches
- Finch species may be housed in the same room as part of an IACUC-approved research project.
D. Non-human Primates
- Macaca mulatta and M. fascicularis may be housed in the same room. They are historically the only two species of old-world primates at UCSF.
E. Aquatic Animals
- Aquatic species such as some fish, some frogs and some salamanders may be housed in the same housing room.
- Separation of each species occurs at the cage/tank level.
- All nets and animal handling equipment remain separate between species.
III. References
- The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8th edition; Separation by Health Status and Species, p. 112.
- Animal Welfare Act & Animal Welfare Regulations