Notice Number: NOT-OD-10-121

Key Dates
Release Date: August 6, 2010

Issued by
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), (http://olaw.nih.gov/), Office of Extramural Research

The purpose of this Notice is to announce that the July 2010 report to the Office of Extramural Research Acting Director on OLAW site visits to chimpanzee facilities is now available on the OLAW Web site. To download a copy of the report, click here (PDF).

The report summarizes the results of a series of site visits to institutions that receive funds from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for research and maintenance of chimpanzees. The site visits were initiated to determine whether the institutions’ programs and facilities for the care and use of chimpanzees were consistent with their Animal Welfare Assurance with OLAW and to evaluate the current state of social housing, husbandry, enrichment, veterinary care, and training practices for chimpanzees.

The report concludes with recommendations for use by the wider grantee community in enhancing the care and well-being of chimpanzees and other nonhuman primates. Resources to enable a better understanding of various aspects of social housing and positive reinforcement training for these animals are now available including:

• a prerecorded online seminar with slides and transcripts by NIH OLAW and United States Department of Agriculture staff (see OLAW Special Seminars);
• new OLAW Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – FAQ F14 and FAQ F15;
• a new Web site focused on Nonhuman Primate Enrichment and Social Housing.
  

Inquiries

For questions or further information, contact:

Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
Office of Extramural Research
National Institutes of Health
RKL1, Suite 360
6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-7982
phone: 301-496-7163
fax: 301-915-9481
e-mail: [email protected]
web:  http://olaw.nih.gov/