FASEB Launches Survey to Assess Effectiveness of USDA Contingency Rule

By: Naomi Charalambakis
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Earlier this month, FASEB launched a survey in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to assess the effectiveness of the agency’s 2021 contingency rule. This rule requires USDA-registered facilities to develop, document, and follow a contingency plan for the handling of animals during emergencies or disasters.

Nearly two years since the rule went into effect, the survey aims to collect feedback from the regulated community on the level of burden required to comply with the rule and ways APHIS could improve policy awareness and compliance. The goal is to collect input from a broad range of animal care and research specialists, including attending veterinarians, research investigators, animal care staff and handlers, and members of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees.

Results from the survey will inform a FASEB report that summarizes key trends and challenges that regulated entities are facing in implementing the contingency rule. FASEB anticipates this report will foster greater awareness about current policies related to animal care and welfare while strengthening stakeholder engagement between funding agencies and the research community. 

FASEB and APHIS encourage all relevant personnel at registered facilities to complete the survey and share it with animal research colleagues by November 21.