Administrative History: Animal Care Unit

Dr. R. A. McAllister was appointed director of Animal Care in January 1970. In November 1971, Federal Transport Minister, Mr. Don Jamieson, announced in Ottawa that the federal government’s Health Resources Fund had granted the Faculty of Medicine $210,000.00 to assist in the construction of a Vivarium in Pippy Park. The facility would provide suitable accommodations for the laboratory animals. The main function was research and investigation. Prior to this some animals had been housed at the St. John’s General Hospital and the Temporary Buildings. Dr. L. W. Belbeck was appointed Assistant Professor of Physiology and director of Animal Care in 1972. In early 1973, there was a breakthrough in the Faculty of Medicine when a team of scientists, headed by Dr. C. J. Hodson, discovered the cause of a common kidney ailment in children through research using miniature pigs. Dr. M. Szczepanski was appointed assistant professor of physiology and director of Animal Care, effective 1 July 1975.

The CALAS Training Program, Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science, was established in 1967 to provide training to a level that would allow a registry of qualified technicians and technologists. Canada Manpower, under their Industrial Program, accepted the Faculty of Medicine’s program, which commenced on 1 October 1975 with seven employees in the first group. Upon completion of this program, the employees were reclassified to Animal Technician I status with an appropriate salary increase.