Welcome to the Animal Care Unit Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Plan On-Line Training Program. On December 31, 2012, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published a final rule requiring all research facilities regulated under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) to develop contingency plans describing how they will respond to and recover from emergencies most likely to happen to their facility.  The goal of this rule is to increase institutional awareness and understanding about their responsibilities to protect their animals in an emergency situation or natural disaster potentially saving the lives of their animals and their employees.  All USDA licensed and registered facilities must have a completed written plan by July 29, 2013 and all facility employees must be trained on the plan by September 27, 2013 after which time the plans are subject to APHIS review upon request.  “Employees” refers not only to paid staff but also to volunteers and others involved in animal care and/or who are integral to the business operation. All training must be documented and is subject to inspection by APHIS.   Therefore, all employees, as defined above, must read and familiarize themselves with Western University’s Animal Care Unit Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Plan and then take and pass the quiz below.  Click this link to access the plan. Emergency Action Plan