Reference Resources

Updated July 2026

Reference Resources

AAALAC’s Council refers to specialty publications for supplemental information about procedures or techniques related to the care and use of laboratory animals. These specialty publications are called Reference Resources. These references have been formally reviewed and adopted by AAALAC’s Council on Accreditation as guidance for accredited units and may be referred to by Council members in evaluating programs.

Resources are categorized into:

Reference Resources: references that can be utilized during the evaluation of issues that may result in findings during the accreditation assessment. When applicable, clarifying notes are appended to the Reference Resource to provide additional information on any exclusions or clarification in the reference.
Items of Interest: references serve as items of interest or guidance that illustrate good practices.

When applicable, clarifying notes are appended to the Reference Resource to provide additional information on any exclusions or clarification in the reference.

(Click here to view a print-friendly version of AAALAC's Reference Resources.)

General

Reference Resource:

OIE's Terrestrial Animal Health Code Chapter 7.8

Humane Endpoints (OECD)

Veterinary Care

Reference Resources:

Euthanasia

Reference Resource:

AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia
(Note: At its May 2020 meeting, AAALAC International's Council on Accreditation adopted the "AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2020 Edition" as an AAALAC Reference Resource with two clarifications noted on the first page of the document.)