Animal Ordering or Imports

An active Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approved protocol is required to order animals. Following approval of a protocol, animals may be ordered from commercial sources or imported from other universities. Once animals are obtained, they can only be used for procedures or experiments related to the specific protocol number under which they were ordered. All animal orders from a vendor or imports from another university must be placed through e-Protocol if they will be housed in the University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR) facilities. In addition, the large animal procurement specialist must be involved in all large animal orders housed in ULAR facilities. The specialist serves as the liaison between the research team, the animal vendor and the ULAR vivarium team. Such coordination is needed to ensure animal availability, biosecurity and housing space to meet the needs of the research model.

Ohio State has partnered with two commercial vendors to provide genetically-engineered mouse generation and support services. These preferred vendors provide discounted and priority services for the research community and allow for generated mice to be received directly into the animal housing facilities on campus. 

• Once the order request is complete, click “submit request” to forward it for fiscal approval.
  • The department fiscal approver must be selected in order to prevent delays in processing.
• Novel and cryopreserved mice require an animal order submission in e-Protocol.
  • Provide importexport@osu.edu with the vendor contact information to ensure final health reports are provided to the quality assurance team in order to prevent delays in the final shipping.
• After fiscal approval, the request is forwarded for vivarium approval and then goes to purchasing/procurement.
  • Automated emails are generated to the contact person listed in the order request as the order progresses through each step.
  • An automated email will be sent when animals are received into their housing location.
• Animal delivery details are available at the animal facility where the animals are expected to be housed. Deliveries from approved commercial vendors go directly into the housing facility.
• Submit orders at least one week ahead of time to allow for processing.
• Vendor delivery schedule:
  • Monday
    • Covance by Labcorp
    • Envigo
    • The Jackson Laboratory (JAX)
    • National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • Tuesday
    • Taconic Biosciences
    • Charles River
    • National Institute on Aging (NIA)

• The animal order must be submitted in e-Protocol, select “other” as the vendor.  
• The import-export coordinator (ULARImportExport@osu.edu) will contact the sending institution to obtain health information on the animals to be obtained.  
• For new investigators, the IACUC holding protocol can be used to order animals into quarantine while awaiting review/approval of their own IACUC protocol.
  • research activities are limited while on the holding protocol
  • submit a holding protocol request
• Animal orders received from non-commercial vendors are quarantined in a secure facility for approximately 3-4 weeks. 
• Samples will be collected and submitted for Charles River PRIA® testing while animals are under quarantine.
• Once animals have cleared quarantine, an e-Protocol transfer will be submitted by the import-export coordinator and cages will be moved by the ULAR transport specialist into ULAR housing.
• The final housing location will be based on the identified health status, space availability and research needs as discussed with the research team.