TROPLIST: Are embryos animals?

[Hirsch, Nicolas]

Does your IACUC consider embryos or tadpoles to be "animals" that must
be accounted for in animal protocols? I'm currently writing my animal
use protocol and have been grappling with this question.

 

OLAW's FAQ page says amphibian and fish "larvae" are animals for the
purposes of regulation, but I can't find anywhere what stage is
considered the beginning of larval life. I've been corresponding with
Kim Taylor, a vet at OLAW, and her opinion is that embryos are not
animals until "hatching". This applies to chick embryos, which are
obviously very highly developed before hatching from the eggshell.
Since amphibian embryologists define "hatching" differently, I'm
thinking early embryos wouldn't be regulated but that tadpoles would be.
This doesn't make much logical sense, of course, but when have
bureaucracies been great lovers of logic?

 

Your experiences or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Nick Hirsch

 

 

_________________________________________________

 

Dr. Nick Hirsch

Department of Biology

Hiram College

Hiram, Ohio   44234

 

Phone: 330-569-5848

Email: hirschn@hiram.edu <mailto:hirschn@hiram.edu> 

 

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