U of I Joins Elite List of Institutions to Achieve Full Animal Care Accreditation

The University of Idaho joined an elite list of land-grant institutions to earn full accreditation from AAALAC International — a private, international nonprofit that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs.

AAALAC accreditation was achieved through the work of the animal facility staff, U of I’s AAALAC Task Force and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee along with the support of university leadership. There are 112 land-grant institutions (LGIs) in the U.S., and 43 of those have some form of AAALAC accreditation. U of I is now among just 16 LGIs to have every college within the university that uses animals in research, teaching or testing accredited.

AAALAC sent representatives to view U of I facilities statewide during the accreditation process. Other animal housing locations — including the Nancy M. Cummings Research, Extension and Education Center and Rinker Rock Creek Ranch in central Idaho and Palouse Research, Extension and Education Center and Laboratory Animal Research Facility in Moscow — drew commendations from AAALAC.