A Section on Service Animals in the Microbiology Teaching Laboratory Has Been Included in the 2019 Update to the Guidelines for Biosafety in Teaching Laboratories

Esmeralda Meyer; Kalpana Rengarajan; Paul Meechan; Paul Fowler

doi:10.1089/apb.21.933717

A Section on Service Animals in the Microbiology Teaching Laboratory Has Been Included in the 2019 Update to the Guidelines for Biosafety in Teaching Laboratories

Appl Biosaf. 2021 Sep 1;26(3):175-178. doi: 10.1089/apb.21.933717. Epub 2021 Sep 13.

Authors

Esmeralda Meyer¹, Kalpana Rengarajan¹, Paul Meechan², Paul Fowler¹

Affiliations

¹ Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
² Biosafety Consultant, Catonsville, Maryland, USA.

Abstract

The accommodation of service animals in microbiology teaching labs has been included in the 2019 update to the American Society of Microbiology (ASM) Guidelines for Safety in Microbiology Laboratories. This commentary includes a legal framework related to service animals, the elements included in the 2019 ASM update, and additional risk-assessment considerations for the biosafety professional.

Keywords: animal biosafety; biosafety; code of conduct; risk assessment; service animals; teaching lab.