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About the Animal Resources and Care Division

The Animal Resources and Care Division promotes and ensures humane animal care and use by applying current veterinary standards and animal welfare practices that meet or exceed regulatory requirements.

The Office of the University Veterinarian (also known as the Attending Veterinarian) promotes the well-being of all animals used in research, teaching, and production at Virginia Tech. This is achieved by providing protocol veterinary reviews through the Institutional Animal Use and Care Committee (IACUC), veterinary clinical care and veterinary care oversight, personnel training, and research support services to scientists, instructors, and their staff.

The University Veterinarian also serves as the Director of Animal Resources, providing management oversight for the centrally managed laboratory animal facilities on Virginia Tech's Blacksburg and Roanoke campuses. These facilities are available to all scientists using laboratory rodents for research and teaching.

Staff Contacts

David Schabdach portrait.

David Schabdach

Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation, Laboratory Animal Resources; Attending Veterinarian

Erin Kinder portrait.

Erin R. Kinder

Business Manager

Calvin Lau portrait.

Calvin Lau

Research Veterinarian

Virginia Tech's Animal Resources provides high-quality laboratory animal housing and care in centrally managed animal facilities to ensure that scientists have the resources necessary to achieve their research goals. Services provided include: animal ordering; animal receiving, shipping, and importation; daily animal husbandry/care; technical assistance; training for scientific staff; and quarterly rodent health monitoring.

Staff Contacts

Photo not available.

Mary Zabonik

Animal Care and Operations Supervisor


 

Erin Kinder portrait.

Erin R. Kinder

Business Manager

Animal Resources and Care Division Roles

University Veterinarian

The University Veterinarian (UV) provides oversight for all aspects of animal care and use, as well as the health and well-being of all animals at Virginia Tech. The UV provides guidance to investigators and all personnel involved in the care and use of animals to ensure appropriate husbandry, handling, medical treatment, immobilization, sedation, analgesia, anesthesia, surgical and perioperative care, and euthanasia. The UV also provides oversight of centrally managed laboratory animal facilities on Virginia Tech's Blacksburg and Roanoke campuses.

The Laboratory Animal Program Veterinarian (LAPV) consults with investigators,  assists them during IACUC protocol preparation, and performs IACUC veterinary pre-reviews on submitted protocols. The LAPV  works with the UV and Clinical Laboratory Animal Veterinarian (CLAV) in managing the centrally managed laboratory animal facilities on the Blacksburg campus and at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute in Roanoke. The LAPV also works with the AV and CLAV to direct facility managers and animal care technicians in the maintenance and updating of institutional and facility SOPs. The LAPV also works with the CLAV to provide clinical care to laboratory rodents, non-traditional species, and others as needed.

The Clinical Laboratory Animal Veterinarian (CLAV) provides clinical care to laboratory rodents, non-traditional species, and others as needed. The CLAV assures proper husbandry and veterinary care of university-owned animals, including rodents, aquatics, wildlife, and farm animals. The CLAV works with the UV and LAPV in managing the laboratory animal facilities Virginia Tech's  Blacksburg and Roanoke campuses.

In addition, the CLAV works with the UV and LAPV to direct facility managers and animal care technicians in the maintenance and updating of institutional and facility SOPs. The CLAV also advises and trains investigators, technical staff, and students, and provides oversight of and coordinates import and export of animals from the centrally managed animal facilities.

Animal Resources

The Facility Manager (FM) for LS1 and ILSB provides day-to-day operational oversight in support of advanced research in the life sciences. The FM works with veterinary staff to ensure that animals are appropriately cared for and that the facilities meet all applicable regulatory standards. The FM is also responsible for the coordination of facility operations, directing the Lead Technicians and maintaining oversight of the facilities, including quality assurance and performance improvement.

The Vivarium Operations Specialist (VOS) provides day-to-day operational oversight at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute in support of advanced research. The VOS works with veterinary staff to ensure animal health and safety, and that facilities meet all appropriate regulatory standards. The VOS also completes and maintains records on animals and assists with research projects as needed.

The Laboratory Animal Lead Technician (LALT) provides and oversees daily care and husbandry for laboratory animals used in teaching and research activities. The LALT works with researchers and their staff to support their laboratory animal research activities, and directs Animal Care Technicians to ensure appropriate training and animal care.

The Business Operations Specialist (BOS) serves as the primary departmental contact for financial activities and maintains all fiscal policies and procedures relating to animal ordering and monthly animal care charges. The BOS ensures that all animal orders are in compliance with an approved IACUC protocol number and tracks animals in accordance with compliance rules.

Compliance

Various groups at Virginia Tech support and monitor the management of animal well-being.  They include: