ABSTRACT
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 146 Facilities ......................................................................................................................................... 148
General Considerations ............................................................................................................. 148 Location ................................................................................................................................ 148 Arrangement ......................................................................................................................... 148 Circulation ............................................................................................................................ 148
Function Areas .......................................................................................................................... 150 Support Areas ....................................................................................................................... 150 Animal Housing Areas ......................................................................................................... 156
Architectural Features............................................................................................................... 165 Interior Surfaces ................................................................................................................... 165 Vermin Control..................................................................................................................... 168 Noise Control........................................................................................................................ 168
Engineering Features ................................................................................................................ 169 Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)........................................................... 169 Power and Lighting .............................................................................................................. 177 Plumbing .............................................................................................................................. 178
Equipment ...................................................................................................................................... 182 Cage Sanitation and Sterilization .............................................................................................. 182
Batch Washers ...................................................................................................................... 183 Continuous Belt Washers ..................................................................................................... 185 Robotic Cage Washing ......................................................................................................... 187 Sterilization Equipment ........................................................................................................ 189
Animal Watering ....................................................................................................................... 190 Caging ....................................................................................................................................... 192
Rodents ................................................................................................................................. 192 Rabbits .................................................................................................................................. 197 Canines, Swine, and Small Ungulates ................................................................................. 198
INTRODUCTION
The objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of facilities and equipment required for housing laboratory animals and to be a resource for planning and designing research animal facilities. An additional objective is to provide insight into facility operations for planners and designers with minimal experience working in research animal facilities. Many other publications provide additional information on the subject, including:
A review of the progress made in research animal facilities and equipment during the latter half of the twentieth century is summarized by Hessler (1999) in a chapter of a book published to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).
