This importation process includes importing animals from non-approved sources including, but not limited to the following:
Research institutions/facilities on a domestic and international level.
Investigators housing animals at any of our known approved vendors.
Other biological materials such as embryos, sperm and cell lines which will be introduced into animals.
Import Instructions
Please follow these steps to import animals to UAB:
Important Note - Prior to beginning the import process the ARP must have authorization to import from the UAB Research Foundation. This authorization is usually provided to ARP in the form of a fully executed MTA or email from the UAB Research Foundation stating the shipment can proceed. It is the investigator's responsibility to provide ARP with the fully executed MTA or other legal documentation pertaining to the shipment.
Contact the UAB Research Foundation and discuss the transfer with them so a determination can be made as to whether an MTA, or other legal documentation will be necessary for the transfer or not.
Once the MTA or other legal documentation has been fully executed (if applicable), complete the applicable sections on the Import/Export Request Form and return it and the MTA to animaltransfer@uab.edu for processing. If any health data has been provided to you from the other institution, please provide that as well.
Please read the General Information Regarding Form on Page 1 of the Import/Export Request Form.
For animals, complete sections 1, 2 and 4.
For other biological materials, complete sections 1, 3 and 4.
To avoid delays, only submit a completed form.
Once ARP has received the completed Import/Export form they [ARP] will contact the exporting institution and request health data which is representative of the mice being imported which will then be reviewed and subsequently approved (as long as the health data is found acceptable) by an ARP veterinarian. At this point it is possible that additional health testing (fur plucks, tape testing, serologic or bacterial assays, etc.) may need to occur prior to import. Additional animals, which are represetnative of the mice being shipped may also be requested as well to be used as contact sentinels during the quarantine period. Once the health data has been approved ARP will contact the exporting institution and provide them with courier account information along with a shipping address and dates the animals can be received.
All animals coming from non-approved sources are required to go through a Quarantine process.
Shipping Delays
Factors which will affect when a shipment can be imported:
Temperature when shipment is to occur
Shipment size
Health status of shipment
Number of shipments ahead of yours
Availability of quarantine housing
Non-approved IACUC APN
Transportation
Transportation of animals to UAB is performed via approved couriers who are experienced in transporting live animals. The USPS, UPS, FedEx and other logistic companies are not approved to transport live animals.
Animals are only transported when temperatures at all locations the animals travel from/through/to are within the appropriate temperature range. Generally, the temperature range is from 45°F to 85°F and includes forecasted actual and feels like temperatures.
The health of the animal(s) during transport is priority one. All efforts are made to ensure every animal is transported safely, no matter the temperature range but, especially when temperatures are not within the 45°F to 85°F range. A shipment can be postponed either by the airline, courier and/or ARP due to temperatures which will negatively impact the health of the animal(s). Once temperatures are within an appropriate range, the shipment will be rescheduled.
Billing
Typically, the receiving institution incurs the courier charges associated with the importation, unless other arrangements have been made for the exporting instituion to incur the charges. ARP has accounts established with multiple couriers who deal with live animal transportation. If the UAB PI will incur the charges, the ARP will bill the UAB PI for the courier charges after the courier has billed the ARP.
Occasionally, the exporting institution will ask the UAB investigator to incur the costs associated with the shipment which are not courier related. These costs are usually associated with the shipping supplies and other fees. The ARP is unable to pay for these fees; it is the responsibility of the UAB PI to handle the payment related to these fees. However, the ARP will assist the UAB PI with this if they are uncertain of the UAB process related to paying another institution.
Estimates relating to the cost of the shipment are available at the request of the UAB investigator.
Rejection of Animals
On rare occasion, the ARP will not be able to accept the animals you plan to import based on the health data that has been reviewed. All efforts will have been made to import the animals directly to UAB before the PI is informed of the decision to reject the shipment. In these instances the ARP will provide the PI with information pertaining to the rederivation process which the animals will have to go through if they are to come to UAB.
Please contact animaltransfer@uab.edu for questions or clarification for information listed here.
For information regarding the importation of other biological materials (embryos, sperm, cell lines), or non-rodent species from non-approved sources please contact animaltransfer@uab.edu .