All,

I work at a wildlife research facility for the USDA.  I've posted 
intermittently over the years and this question is directed for those that 
deal with animal research.  The question is:  what is the retention period 
for animal care records?

I checked the Animal Welfare Act and couldn't seem to find anything.  Same 
with the GRS.  We have a Safety and Health Officer here who stated "The 
Animal Welfare Regulations states that all records and reports shall be 
maintained for at least three years."  Being the good records manager I 
try to be, I think, "at least three years?"  What kind of retention is 
that?  The Safety Officer recommends our staff keep the records for three 
years after the death of the animal or when the animal leaves the 
facility.  He mainly means general maintenance and care of the animals. If 
the records are part of a study, and contain substantive data, they may be 
kept permanently with the study, particularly if the research is Good 
Laboratory Practices (GLP) standards. 

What I'd like is a more firm retention period, particularly for general 
maintenance, and the citation for it.

Many thanks!
Nancy Freeman, Records Manager/Archivist
National Wildlife Research Center
4101 LaPorte Ave.
Fort Collins,  CO  80521
(970) 266-6023
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