What should the vendor animal health survey include?

The inclusion of diagnostic procedures to determine health status in a vendor animal health survey is crucial for ensuring that the animals being considered for purchase or use in research are healthy and free from diseases. This component helps establish a baseline of the animals’ health and ensures that the facilities receiving them can trust the health information provided. Assessing the health status through diagnostic procedures is essential for the welfare of the animals and for the integrity of scientific research, as unhealthy animals can compromise research outcomes and lead to ethical concerns.

While collecting mating histories or purchase order confirmations may offer relevant information about the animals, they do not directly assess the health status. Similarly, sample collection for marketing purposes does not provide the necessary assurance that an animal is healthy, making diagnostic procedures the most relevant aspect of the survey for evaluating the overall health and welfare of the animals involved.