# Animal Resources Center

> Provides healthy animals for use in IACUC-approved research, educational and testing protocols at Montana State University;

**Wikidata**: [Q111845551](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111845551)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/animal-resources-center

## Summary
The Animal Resources Center is a research institute and center operating at Montana State University. It is dedicated to providing healthy animals for use in research, educational, and testing protocols that have received approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

## Key Facts
- **Parent Organization:** Montana State University
- **Classification:** Identified as a research center and a research institute.
- **Primary Function:** Provides healthy animals for IACUC-approved protocols.
- **Fields of Operation:** Animal welfare and laboratory animal science.
- **Location Coordinates:** Latitude 45.66795988536811, Longitude -111.05099803258214.
- **Website:** https://www.montana.edu/animalresources/
- **Scope of Work:** Supports research, educational, and testing activities.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the primary purpose of the Animal Resources Center?
A: The center provides healthy animals specifically for use in research, educational, and testing protocols. These activities must be approved by the IACUC to ensure compliance and ethical standards.

### Q: How is the center classified within the academic structure?
A: It is classified as both a research center and a research institute. This distinguishes it as an operational entity dedicated to specific research support functions rather than a degree-granting academic department.

### Q: What are the specific fields of work for this organization?
A: The organization operates within the fields of animal welfare and laboratory animal management, focusing on the provision of resources for scientific investigation.

## Why It Matters
The Animal Resources Center plays a critical role in the scientific infrastructure of Montana State University by ensuring that valid and ethical standards are met for animal use in science. By providing healthy animals for IACUC-approved research, educational, and testing protocols, the facility acts as a foundational component for the university's discovery process. As a specialized research institute, it supports the systematic investigation of new knowledge while adhering to the rigorous distinct definitions of research organizations—focusing purely on the facilitation of research support and animal welfare rather than general teaching or policy advocacy. This enables researchers to pursue long-term, high-stakes scientific inquiry with the assurance of quality and compliance.

## Notable For
- **Specialized Research Support:** Dedicated specifically to the provision of laboratory animals, distinguishing it from general academic departments.
- **IACUC Compliance:** Operations are strictly bound to protocols approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, ensuring ethical standards.
- **Dual Classification:** Recognized distinctly as both a research center and a research institute.
- **Focus on Animal Welfare:** Primary fields of work are explicitly listed as animal welfare and laboratory animal science.

## Body

### Mission and Operations
The Animal Resources Center functions as a specialized service unit within the broader research ecosystem of Montana State University. Its core mission is to provide healthy animals for three distinct categories of protocol: research, educational instruction, and testing. The center operates under the strict governance of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), ensuring that all provided animals are utilized exclusively in approved activities.

### Organizational Classification
The entity is structurally defined as an instance of both a "research center" and a "research institute." This classification places it within a category of organizations whose primary purpose is to support or conduct research. In the context of library cataloging and knowledge systems, this distinguishes the center from scientific societies or think tanks. It functions as an operational entity facilitating hands-on investigation rather than serving as a membership organization or a policy-oriented group.

### Location and Infrastructure
The physical facility is situated at coordinates 45.66795988536811 (latitude) and -111.05099803258214 (longitude). It operates as a sub-unit under the parent organization, Montana State University, integrating its services into the university's wider network of scientific facilities. The center maintains a digital presence at https://www.montana.edu/animalresources/, which serves as the primary portal for information regarding its services and protocols.

### Fields of Work
The center's expertise is focused on two primary domains:
- **Animal Welfare:** Ensuring the ethical treatment and health of animals used in scientific procedures.
- **Laboratory Animal Science:** The management and provision of animals specifically bred and maintained for scientific research contexts.