scope:

a. NASA is committed to humane and responsible use of live vertebrate animals and higher order cephalopods (hereinafter, animals) in Agency-supported research, testing, teaching, and hardware development activities. When animals are required, the Agency will comply with all applicable Federal, state, and local animal welfare laws and regulations, policies, and guidelines and ensure the NASA Principles for the Ethical Care and Use of Animals, Sundowner Report, 1996, (see Appendix C) are incorporated into its programs.

b. This directive describes the responsibilities and implementing requirements for the use of animals in research, testing, teaching, and hardware development activities funded or sponsored by NASA or conducted in NASA facilities, aircraft, or spacecraft, including commercial facilities, aircraft, and spacecraft that are funded or sponsored by NASA or use NASA resources.

Applicability

a. This NPR is applicable to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities and Technical and Service Support Centers. This language applies to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (a Federally Funded Research and Development Center), other contractors, recipients of grants, cooperative agreements, or other agreements only to the extent specified or referenced in the applicable contracts, grants, or agreements.

b. This NPR applies to Principal Investigators (PI) who are contractors, recipients of grants, cooperative agreements, or other agreements as specified or referenced in the applicable contract, grant, or agreement.

c. This NPR applies to Payload Developers who are contractors as specified or referenced in the applicable contract.

d. This NPR applies to NASA supported Animal Care Facilities who are contractors as specified or referenced in the applicable contract.

d. This NPR is applicable to all activities involving animals that are funded or sponsored by NASA, use NASA resources, or are conducted in NASA facilities, aircraft, or spacecraft.

e. This NPD is applicable to all activities involving animals conducted by public institutions or in commercial facilities, aircraft, and spacecraft that are funded or sponsored by NASA or use NASA resources. Activities involving animals by public institutions or in commercial facilities, aircraft, and spacecraft that are not directly or indirectly funded by NASA or do not use NASA resources are out of scope.

Note: NASA resources related to operation of the commercial facility, aircraft, or spacecraft having nothing to do with the animal activity does not constitute "use of NASA resources" for the actual animal activity. For example, if the institution or commercial provider only uses KSC services to load animals or launch the vehicle, this NPR would not apply.

f. This NPR does not apply to livestock, domesticated animals, or wildlife under non-NASA control that are permitted to be at NASA Centers or Facilities for other than research purposes (e.g., cattle leases, guide dogs, and wildlife management), nor does it apply to animals used by NASA, contractors, or other agencies for law enforcement and security purposes.

g. In this directive, all mandatory actions (i.e., requirements) are denoted by statements containing the term "shall". The terms "may" or "can" denote discretionary privilege or permission, "should" denotes a good practice and is recommended, but not required, "will" denotes expected outcome, and "are/is" denotes descriptive material.

Note: Care should be taken when reading NASA policy versus policy and guidance from external organizations as terminology is used differently. The above definitions are relevant to NASA policy. The Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services use different terminology in their policies and guidance. Refer to their documents for specific terminology usage.

h. In this directive, all document citations are assumed to be the latest version unless otherwise noted.