For your own protection, and for the protection of this institution, Principal Investigator(s) who use animals must know, understand, and comply with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. Furthermore, you are responsible for properly instructing your students and employees.
The laws governing the use of animals, like those governing other regulated activities, are framed to ensure compliance via both civil and criminal laws. Failure to comply can carry penalties that range from substantial fines to "cease and desist" orders that can suspend all animal research, and all funding for animal research, at the offending institution. These regulations are typically applied against an entire institution, thus the innocent are punished as well as the guilty. These regulations are not subject to negotiation or individual interpretation by investigators.
Both the professional reputation and the financial well-being of institutions which have failed to comply have suffered. For these reasons, the prudent investigator will be attentive to complying with these regulations and will encourage colleagues to do the same.
As a matter of educational policy, Principal Investigator(s) who do not themselves use animals should be aware of these regulations and policies, since their students may use animals at a later time. Likewise, instruction of students in proper animal use is an essential component of graduate-level science education.
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