Animal Service Units

The Canadian Council on Animal Care requires animal facilities to meet specific functional criteria to comply with CCAC guidelines.

At the University of Alberta, there are three animal service units that provide the following services in line with CCAC direction:

  • Veterinary oversight
  • Animal housing, husbandry, and transportation
  • Staff training
  • Safety protocols for biohazards, occupational hazards, radiation, and chemicals

For assistance in these areas, please contact the respective facilities directly.

Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science Animal Service (AFNSAS)

Predominantly research, teaching and testing involving poultry, swine and ruminants*

Visit the website

Science Animal Support Services (SASS)

Predominantly research, teaching and testing involving xenopus, birds, fish, and wildlife*

For more information, contact:

Phone: 780-492-5358
Email: sass@ualberta.ca

Health Sciences Laboratory Animal Services (HSLAS)

Predominantly research, teaching and testing involving laboratory animals (mostly rodents)*

For more information, contact:

Phone: 780-492-3040
Fax: 780-492-7083
Email: hslasadm@ualberta.ca

*Note: Research methodology (animal model, required veterinary expertise, etc.) is the main determinant of the facility. ACUC review will be conducted by the committee associated with the Animal Service Unit required for a given Animal Use Protocol.

Other Centres and Institutes

Apart from the three Animal Service Units on campus, there are specialized animal service and training centers within research institutes and laboratories. These centers provide veterinarian oversight through the animal service facilities. Researchers may have access to fee-based services and should directly contact these centers.

Examples include:

  • Ray Rajotte Surgical Medical Research Institute (RRSMRI): Offers advanced surgical research and training facilities for both large and small laboratory model surgeries, including minimally invasive procedures.
  • Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases: A world-class interdisciplinary training environment focused on combating Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), and related prion disorders in livestock, wild cervids, and protein folding diseases in humans
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