Prolonged physical restraint may be stressful to the animal and should be avoided unless essential to the research objectives. All physical restraint, other than routine manual restraint, must be described in the protocol. Physical restraint for periods of longer than four hours must be described in detail and justified for consideration by the IACUC. Convenience alone is not adequate justification to use prolonged physical restraint. When restraint is required for more than 24 hours, consideration must be given to using the least restrictive method possible, even though it may be more costly and technically more difficult. When prolonged physical restraint is required, the following procedures must be used:

1. Animals to be placed in restraint equipment should be conditioned to the equipment by gradually increasing times of restraint until the required time is reached.
2. The period of restraint must be limited to the minimum required to accomplish the research objectives.
3. For comfort and safety of the animal, certain types of restraint equipment, such as slings for dogs, require that the animals be attended throughout the period of restraint. For each situation, the IACUC will make a determination as to the intensity of the attention required.
4. Attention must be given to the possible development of lesions and of illnesses associated with restraint, including contusions, decubital ulcers, dependent edema, and weight loss. If these or other problems occur, prompt veterinary care must be provided. This may require temporary or permanent removal of the animal from the restraint device. If the health problem is considered serious by the Attending Veterinarian tending the animal, the well-being of the animal must take priority over the experimental objectives.