Research Insights
Updated AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2020 Edition
NIH’s Office of Animal Welfare (OLAW) has notified institutions that the new 2020 AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia of Animals are to be implemented October 1, 2020.
NIH’s Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) has notified institutions that the new 2020 AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia of Animals are to be implemented October 1, 2020. After October 1, 2020, grant applications and contract proposals must be consistent with the AVMA 2020 Guidelines.
The main change that will affect the most researchers is the method of CO2 exposure for rodents. The new required CO2 displacement rate is 30-70% of the chamber volume/minute.
Note that the UGA IACUC Policy on Rodent Euthanasia Using Carbon Dioxide has already been updated to reflect the new requirements.
Instructions posted at CO2 euthanasia stations should no longer reflect the old flow rate range, and must reflect the new required flow rate range.