AAALAC

Background

The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC) is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs.

• In the 1950’s, the Professional Standards Committee of the Animal Care Panel (ACP), now the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), recognized a need for assuring the general public that laboratory animal research was conducted on a professional level, and that standard procedures were applied. This concept represents the beginning of the effort to form an accreditation program for laboratory animal care and use.
• Leading veterinarians and researchers organized the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) in 1965, as a private, nonprofit organization. In the years that followed, AAALAC accredited hundreds of organizations across the United States, raising the benchmark for laboratory animal care to new heights.
• In 1996, AAALAC changed its name to the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC International). The name change reflected the organization’s recognition and expansion in other countries, and its commitment to enhancing life sciences and quality animal care around the world.
• Currently nearly 900 companies, universities, hospitals, government agencies and other research institutions in 40+ countries have earned AAALAC accreditation, demonstrating their commitment to responsible animal care and use.

Program Structure

More than 60 prestigious scientific, educational and other professional organizations are members of AAALAC International and are represented on the Board of Trustees.

Some of these “Member Organizations” include:

Participation on the AAALAC International Board demonstrates their members’ commitment to the responsible and humane use of animals in science.

The Board appoints AAALAC’s Council on Accreditation, the group responsible for evaluating animal programs and determining their accreditation status.

Members of the Council are chosen to serve based on their extensive experience in the fields of veterinary medicine, laboratory animal science or animal research, and their commitment to humane animal care and use. The Council is divided into North American, European and Pacific Rim Sections.

The Council conducts on-site visits and extensive evaluations, and provides ongoing advice to help organizations achieve and maintain accreditation. The Council also appoints a roster of ad hoc consultants. These consultants assist the Council members with their evaluations and provide expertise in specific areas, such as management, international regulations, or certain scientific specialties.

AAALAC International relies on three primary standards used by the Council to evaluate programs:

1. The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Guide, NRC 2011);
2. The Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching (the Ag Guide, FASS 2010); and
3. The European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals Used for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes, Council of Europe (ETS 123).

UTSA & AAALAC Accreditation | Date of Inital Accrediation: October 26, 2010

Why Accreditation?

Institutions choose to participate in the AAALAC accreditation program for a variety of reasons.