Reporting animal health concerns promptly using the appropriate channels is critical for maintaining animal welfare. We ask that all research personnel review the following information carefully to ensure that they know how to obtain veterinary care during normal business hours and after hours, including weekends and holidays.
When to Report
Animals in need of immediate care/intervention should be reported to veterinary staff as soon as the condition is noted. If you are ever in doubt about whether to report a sick animal, please err on the side of caution and contact the veterinary care team.
Email and the Animal Concern Hotline should NEVER be used to report animals in need of veterinary care. The Animal Concern Hotline should only be used to report non-urgent concerns about animal welfare and/or non-compliance.
How to Report
The blue “How to Obtain Veterinary Care” sign (pictured right) is posted on the outside of every animal housing room door and includes detailed contact information for requesting care.
- During normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 6:00 AM – 5:00 PM) – Call the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM) Veterinary Technician Office at (734) 936-1037.
- After hours (5:00 PM on weekdays, 1:00 PM on weekends) and on holidays – Contact U-M’s Division of Public Safety & Security (DPSS) at (734) 763-1131. DPSS will alert the on-call veterinarian, who will respond to your request.
Veterinary personnel are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to respond to animal health emergencies.
What to Report
When calling in an animal health issue, be prepared to provide the following information:
- Species
- Building
- Room Number
- Description of the Health Condition
- Your Name and Phone Number
- Rack/Slot Number (if applicable)
- Clinical Number (if applicable)
Once this information is received, a member of the ULAM veterinary care team will locate the animal and provide necessary treatment.
All clinical cases are addressed via a standard protocol work-up. If a clinical issue specifically pertaining to the research being conducted arises, Study Teams may be asked to have an additional conversation with their ULAM Faculty Veterinarian and the responding Veterinary Technician.
Where to Learn More
- For more information, including a contact sheet that can be printed and posted in your work area, bookmark the Obtaining Veterinary Care Standard Operating Procedure on the Animal Care Research A-Z website.
- General questions about veterinary care at the U-M should be directed to ULAM at [email protected].
- Specific questions about your research or treating animals on your study should be directed to your ULAM Faculty Veterinarian.