About

The Office of Laboratory Animal Care (OLAC) of the University of California, Berkeley is responsible for overseeing the centralized animal care and use program on the Berkeley campus. OLAC provides health care, research and teaching assistance, and housing facilities for all animals that are used for research and teaching on this campus.

The use of animals in research and instruction has been an integral part of Berkeley’s academic mission since the founding of the University in 1868. Research and teaching at Berkeley involves animals in many contexts from investigations of disease processes affecting both humans and animals to studies of animal interactions with other animals, plants and the ecosystem in general. The advancement of biological and medical knowledge is inextricably linked to animal investigations. Most of what we know in all areas of biology is derived in one way or another from studies involving animals. Similarly, preparation of students for careers ranging from medicine to wildlife management requires some degree of animal contact. Thus, the involvement of animals in research and teaching cannot be avoided if the University is to continue to fulfill its mission.