The Animal Research Facility (ARF) provides space, equipment, and care for laboratory animals used for research and teaching purposes. Various federal agencies and private research foundations regulate the use of vertebrate animals used or intended for use in research. Working closely with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), ARF provides the highest standards of humane care and use of laboratory animals and assures compliance with University and federal regulations. They share responsibility to assure that the use of animals in research projects are necessary, that the investigator has included in the protocol measures to eliminate any unnecessary pain and discomfort to the animals, and that alternatives to the use of live animals have been considered.