Humane Care Commitment
Lovelace Biomedical is devoted to the humane and ethical treatment of all animals involved in research. Our dedicated behavioral management staff works with subject matter experts in the field to share best practices in enrichment and environmental enhancement for research animals.
Our approach to animal treatment, which includes positive reinforcement training and specialty food enrichment prepared in our food-grade enrichment kitchen, provides for the psychological well-being and comfort of animals, thus reducing stress and increasing safety. We provide opportunities for animals to express species-specific behavior, such as gnawing, burrowing, foraging, playing, scratching, exploring and exercising.
Finally, our husbandry and enrichment staff have designed and developed enrichment programs and devices for a number of species we work with. We are proud of this creative participation in providing thoughtful enrichment for the animals they care for.
Accreditations and Licenses
Lovelace has been accredited with the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) since 1970 demonstrating our commitment to responsible animal care and use. AAALAC works with institutions and researchers to serve as a bridge between progress in biomedical research and animal well-being. This is done through AAALAC’s voluntary accreditation process in which research programs demonstrate that they meet the minimum standards required by law, and are also going the extra step to achieve excellence in animal care and use. In this way, AAALAC International is where science and responsible animal care connect.
The Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) issued the renewal of our Animal Welfare Assurance, demonstrating our continued compliance with Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. OLAW provides guidance and interpretation of the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, supports educational programs, and monitors compliance with the Policy by Assured institutions and PHS funding components to ensure the humane care and use of animals in PHS-supported research, testing, and training, thereby contributing to the quality of PHS-supported activities.
Lovelace is registered and certified with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a Class R Research Facility, upholding compliance to the Animal Welfare Act. The Animal Welfare Act and its associated regulations require that federally established standards of care and treatment be provided for animals used in research.