When it comes to the welfare of animals in research, most people are unfamiliar with the laws and regulations that govern how studies are conducted. Federal agencies like the USDA and NIH set legal baselines that every research institution must meet. But what if an institution wanted to go beyond what the law requires?

That is exactly what AAALAC International accreditation represents. AAALAC International is a nonprofit organization focused on elevating the humane treatment of animals in science through a meticulous, voluntary accreditation program. Institutions that earn AAALAC accreditation are not merely meeting the minimum standard; they demonstrate, through independent evaluation, that their animal care and use programs meet the highest benchmarks worldwide.

What Does AAALAC Stand For?

AAALAC stands for the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International. The organization was founded in 1965 by leading veterinarians and researchers who recognized that the public needed assurance that laboratory animal research was being conducted responsibly and professionally. Today, more than 1,100 institutions in over 50 countries have earned AAALAC accreditation, including universities, pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and hospitals (AAALAC, n.d.).

How Does the Accreditation Process Work?

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The process for AAALAC accreditation is comprehensive and involves multiple stages:

1. Internal Self-Assessment. The institution conducts an extensive internal review of every aspect of its animal care and use program, including policies, animal housing and management, veterinary care, and facilities. This review is compiled into a detailed document called a Program Description.
2. Independent Site Visit. AAALAC evaluators, members of the organization’s Council on Accreditation, review the Program Description and then conduct their own comprehensive, on-site assessment of the institution’s facilities and practices.
3. Council Review. The site visitors’ report is reviewed by the full Council on Accreditation, which determines accreditation status. If deficiencies are found, the institution is given a defined period to correct them before accreditation is granted.
4. Ongoing Accountability. Accredited institutions must submit annual reports, promptly notify AAALAC of any significant adverse events, and undergo periodic re-evaluation to maintain their accreditation (AAALAC, n.d.).

This is not a one-time achievement. It is a continuous commitment to meeting and exceeding the standards set by the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the primary reference standard used by both AAALAC and the U.S. Public Health Service.

Why Is Voluntary Accreditation Important?

Federal regulations establish the floor for animal welfare in research. AAALAC accreditation raises the ceiling. Because the program is voluntary, institutions that participate are making a deliberate choice to subject themselves to an additional, independent layer of scrutiny. That choice signals something important: a genuine institutional commitment to animal welfare, not just regulatory compliance.

AAALAC accreditation also promotes better science. Research consistently shows that the quality of animal care directly affects the validity and reproducibility of scientific results. Animals housed in environments that provide a variety of enrichment opportunities for species-normative behaviors, handled with low-stress techniques, and cared for by well-trained professionals produce data that are more consistent and more relevant to human health. In other words, institutions that invest in the highest standards of care are not just doing right by the animals; they are also producing better research outcomes.

AAALAC in Practice: What Long-Term Accreditation Looks Like

An institution that maintains continuous AAALAC accreditation for several years displays a positive track record, not a single moment of compliance, but an enduring, institution-wide commitment to excellence in animal care. It means passing independent evaluations again and again, across changing leadership, evolving science, and updated standards. The accreditation sits atop the institution’s existing regulatory framework, which includes oversight by the USDA, the NIH’s Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs).

AAALAC has the authority to revoke accreditation from any institution that fails to meet its standards. OLAW has the authority to suspend NIH funding. The USDA has the authority to shut down a facility entirely. These enforcement mechanisms are real, and institutions that maintain long, unbroken accreditation records do so by consistently meeting or exceeding the standards set by these authorities.

How AAALAC Fits Into the Bigger Picture

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AAALAC accreditation does not exist in isolation. It is just one level of a multi-tiered system of oversight that ensures research animals are treated humanely:

• The IACUC reviews and approves every study before it can begin, evaluating scientific justification, pain minimization, the use of alternatives, and staff qualifications.
• The USDA conducts unannounced inspections under a zero-tolerance policy.
• OLAW/NIH provides oversight for all NIH-funded research and has the power to suspend funding.
• AAALAC International provides voluntary, independent accreditation that goes above and beyond regulatory requirements.

Together, these layers create one of the most rigorous oversight systems for any regulated activity in the United States. For anyone who cares about how research animals are treated, the existence of AAALAC accreditation should be reassuring: it means that accredited institutions are not just following the rules, they are actively striving for excellence.

Learn More

Want to learn more about how animal research is regulated? Read our related blog posts:

• “Who’s Watching Out for Research Animals?” — A deep dive into IACUCs and how they work. 
• “What Are the 3Rs in Animal Research?” — How Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement guide ethical research.

You can also visit the AAALAC International website at aaalac.org for more information about their accreditation program and standards.

References

AAALAC (Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International). (n.d.). What is AAALAC? Retrieved from https://www.aaalac.org/about/what-is-aaalac/

AAALAC. (n.d.). What is AAALAC accreditation? Retrieved from https://www.aaalac.org/accreditation-program/what-is-aaalac-accreditation/

National Research Council. (2011). Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (8th ed.). National Academies Press.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations. Retrieved from https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/AC_BlueBook_AWA_508_comp_version.pdf

(1998). AAALAC Program Status Evaluation. ILAR Journal. https://doi.org/10.1093/ilar.39.1.37