Animal Resources is a university-wide unit which provides animal procurement, domiciliary care, health care, and scientific support services for all programmes using animals in teaching and research. The Atlantic Veterinary College Aquatic Animal Facility is under the jurisdiction of Animal Resources. The director of Animal Resources is Dr. Donald Casebolt.
The Atlantic Veterinary College Aquatic Animal Facility is designed to provide controlled environments for both freshwater and marine finfish and shellfish. The laboratory consists of 12 individual water modules. Two freshwater wells, used alternatively, provide all water for flow-through and recirculation systems. Water temperature is regulated by computer controlled three-way mixing valves which regulate the flow of heat exchanger fluids through individual titanium plate heat exchangers. Temperature and flow are monitored electronically at all times. The design offers versatile system manipulation for flow-through or recirculation.
Recirculated water is pumped from a holding reservoir, through a sand filter, ultra violet sterilizer and heat exchangers, and is stored in hot or cold header tanks. Mixing of these two sources allows temperature control of water in individual tanks. Water is pumped, by a separate path, from both pumping cycles, is returned to the holding reservoir. Hypochlorite injection systems sterilize effluent water. Air is delivered to each tank by a rotary vane and water flow. Photoperiod control is available.
The aquatic facilities are divided into two types of disease containment. A large wet-laboratory, supplied by six water systems, holds a variety of aquatic species for teaching and non-infectious research. The second type consists of several quarantine rooms which house infectious disease research projects, each with double door access, an ante-room for project equipment storage, and a mandatory foot bath. Adjacent dry-laboratories provide space for food storage, and water quality testing. A system design and construction workshop is available within the facility.