Animal Welfare Policy

We will listen and try our best to help.

Ensuring proper care.

Edison State Community College strives to ensure the proper care of animals utilized in the Veterinary Technology program. You should speak with the program staff if you have a concern, complaint, or inquiry regarding an observed animal welfare issue. Unresolved concerns may be submitted to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Filing protocol.

Edison State Community College (ESCC) acknowledges and accepts responsibility for the ethical care and use of live vertebrate animals utilized in the Veterinary Technology program. It is essential that we assume responsibility for their welfare and that animal use for teaching purposes be conducted in a humane, compassionate manner.

If you have a concern, complaint, or inquiry regarding an observed animal welfare issue or incident you believe is inappropriate, including but not limited to inhumane treatment, neglect, unapproved procedures, etc., by ESCC faculty, staff, or students, you are encouraged to report these activities. ESCC’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) will investigate all such reports confidentially. No member of ESCC (student, faculty, or staff) or our community is subject to any reprisal for reporting any suspected violations.

If you believe an activity is inappropriate, the most direct way to deal with the problem is to speak with the team in the ESCC’s Veterinary Technology program (Program Coordinator, Veterinarian, Instructor, or Site Supervisor). Persons not familiar with teaching with animals may misinterpret some procedures as causing pain or distress when, in fact, that is not the case. If you feel uncomfortable discussing this with the Veterinary Technology program team or are unsatisfied with the initial contact, please submit a complaint using the method below. Specific and detailed information about the incident must be provided for review. It is important we have a complete description of the incident. Helpful information includes dates, times, individuals involved, details on the animal, witnesses, and other information you can provide. We can do the best job of investigating and correcting the issue if you provide your name and contact information, but you do have the option of submitting your concern anonymously. These complaints will be reviewed by the Institutional Officer (Academic Dean) and/or Provost and then submitted to the IACUC Chairperson for review and/or investigation.

Submissions should be made online using the form below.