ALAT Documentation and Record Maintenance — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What document is physically attached to or placed in front of each animal cage to provide quick identification information?
- IACUC protocol
- Cage card (Correct answer)
- Animal use annual report
- Purchase order
Correct answer: Cage card
A cage card is attached to each enclosure and contains key information such as species, strain, sex, date of birth, study/protocol number, and PI name. It allows technicians to identify animals and verify husbandry requirements at a glance without accessing central records.
Question 2: Under the USDA Animal Welfare Act, how long must a research facility retain records of animal acquisition and disposition?
- 6 months
- 1 year
- 3 years (Correct answer)
- 10 years
Correct answer: 3 years
9 CFR Part 2 of the Animal Welfare Act requires dealers and research facilities to maintain records of regulated animal acquisition, disposition, and care for a minimum of 3 years, and they must be available for USDA inspection at any time.
Question 3: A technician notices a sentinel animal appears lethargic and has ruffled fur. What is the FIRST documentation action?
- File an amendment with the IACUC
- Submit the annual USDA report
- Record the observation in the health monitoring log with date and time (Correct answer)
- Complete a purchase order for replacement animals
Correct answer: Record the observation in the health monitoring log with date and time
The immediate first step is to document the clinical observation — including date, time, animal ID, and description of signs — in the health monitoring log, then notify veterinary staff. Documentation before or concurrent with notification establishes a time-stamped record critical for health investigations.
Question 4: Which of the following is a regulatory record that research facilities must submit annually to the USDA?
- Employee vacation schedules
- Cafeteria supply invoices
- Number of animals used, classified by species and pain/distress category (Correct answer)
- Cage wash machine purchase receipts
Correct answer: Number of animals used, classified by species and pain/distress category
USDA Animal Welfare Act regulations require annual reports documenting the number of regulated animals used, categorized by species and by pain/distress classification (Categories B through E). This report is a core compliance requirement and is subject to inspection.
Question 5: Under FDA Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations, how must a correction be made to a paper animal record?
- Use correction fluid (white-out) to cover the error, then write the correct entry
- Erase the error completely so no trace remains
- Draw a single line through the error, note the reason, date, and initial it (Correct answer)
- Discard the page and rewrite the entire record
Correct answer: Draw a single line through the error, note the reason, date, and initial it
GLP regulations (21 CFR Part 58) require that errors be corrected by drawing a single line through the incorrect entry so it remains legible, then adding the correct information, the reason for the change, the date, and the initials of the person making the correction. Erasures or use of correction fluid are prohibited.
Question 6: Which piece of information is typically NOT found on a standard rodent cage card?
- IACUC protocol number
- Principal Investigator name
- Animal's purchase price (Correct answer)
- Date of birth or arrival date
Correct answer: Animal's purchase price
Purchase price is a fiscal and accounting record maintained separately from animal care documentation. Cage cards contain information relevant to daily husbandry and study tracking: species, strain, sex, DOB, study group, protocol number, and PI name.
ALAT Documentation and Record Maintenance
What document is physically attached to or placed in front of each animal cage to provide quick identification information?