Facility Orientation and Workshop Schedule
All personnel must complete animal training before participating in any research project. Training is essential to ensure the safety and well-being of animals, researchers, staff, and yourself. For all training-related inquiries, please contact the training office at training@uoguelph.ca [1].
Below is an overview of the training courses offered, listed from the most basic to the most advanced:
- Workshop A – species-specific handling.
- Workshop B – Protocol-specific procedures (must be completed after Workshop A)
- Facility Orientation – Introduction to your assigned facility and key-card access
-
Advanced Trainings:
- Rodent Surgery – Rat or Mouse Surgery
- Rodent Anesthesia – Rat or Mouse Anesthesia
- Mouse Breeding – Breeding techniques for mouse colonies.
- Mentor-Facilitated Training (MFT) – Invasive procedures not covered in workshops, conducted with a certified technician, veterinarian, Principal Investigator (PI), or another qualified trainer
- Skill Certification – To apply your surgery and anesthesia skills, you must schedule a session with a certified ACS veterinarian. This can be arranged by emailing the instructors directly. If preferred, certification may be completed by the instructor of your initial Surgery/Anesthesia workshop.
Important: Rodent workshops (A, B, Anesthesia, Surgery) include a 1.5-hour online lecture available on their respective CourseLink sites. All lectures must be completed before attending the practical session.
Before Registering for Any Workshop
Please ensure that you have:
- Completed the Animal User Training Compulsory Core Modules [2],
- Logged into the AUP system [3]
- Been listed under relevant procedures on your AUP.
Once you have completed these tasks, email the training office at training@uoguelph.ca [1] with the following information:
- Have you completed the compulsory Core Modules? If yes, provide your cohort number.
- Under which AUP are you listed? (If you are unsure, please inquire with your supervisor).
- What are the specific procedures you will be doing, and what is your prior experience?
- What is your level of study at the University of Guelph (Undergraduate, Graduate, Postdoctoral, Other)?
- When will your research project start? When will you begin working with live animals?
- Which facility will you work at? Have you received facility orientation?
Your PI must be copied on this email.
Workshop Schedule
Please find the scheduled workshops for this semester below. Note that dates are subject to change based on student needs and research demands.
| Workshop Name | Date (2025) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation – Animal Biosciences (ABSc) | Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more detauks | TBA |
| Orientation – Central Animal Facility (CAF) |
|
9:30 – 11:00 |
| Orientation – Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (HHNS) |
|
1:00 – 2:30 |
| Orientation – Production Animal Isolation Facility (ISO) |
|
10:00 - 11:30 |
| Mouse A – Handling & Restraint |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
| Mouse B – Procedures, IP & SQ Injections |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
| Rat A – Handling & Restraint |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
| Rat B – Procedures, IP & SQ Injections |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
|
Anesthesia Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink. |
|
10:00 – 1:00 |
|
Surgery Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink. |
|
10:30 – 12:30 |
| Rodent Breeding | Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Poultry A – Handling & Orientation to Arkell Poultry Unit | Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Poultry B - Procedures (blood collection, injections, and/or administration by gavage) | Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Swine A – Handling & Orientation to Arkell Swine Unit |
Scheduled workshop dates TBC. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. |
N/A |
| Swine B – Procedures | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Cattle Workshop and Orientation to Elora Dairy Research and Innovation Centre | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Sheep Workshop and Orientation to Ponsonby Sheep Unit | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Horse Workshop | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Workshop Name | Date (2025) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation – Animal Biosciences (ABSc) |
|
2:30 – 3:30 |
| Orientation – Central Animal Facility (CAF) |
|
9:30 – 11:00 |
| Orientation – Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (HHNS) |
|
1:00 – 2:30 |
| Orientation – Production Animal Isolation Facility (ISO) |
|
10:30 – 12:00 |
|
Mouse A – Handling & Restraint Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink [4]. |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
|
Mouse B – Procedures, IP & SQ Injections Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink [4]. |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
|
Rat A – Handling & Restraint Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink [4]. |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
|
Rat B – Procedures, IP & SQ Injections Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink [4]. |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
|
Anesthesia Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink [4]. |
|
10:00 – 1:00 |
|
Surgery Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink [4]. |
|
10:30 – 12:30 |
|
Stereotaxic Surgery Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink [4]. |
Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Mouse Breeding Colony Workshop | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Poultry A – Handling & Orientation to Arkell Poultry Unit |
|
N/A |
| Poultry B – Procedures (blood collection, injections, and/or administration by gavage) |
|
N/A |
| Swine A – Handling & Orientation to Arkell Swine Unit | Scheduled workshop dates TBD. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Swine B – Procedures | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Cattle Workshop and Orientation to Elora Dairy Research and Innovation Centre | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Sheep Workshop and Orientation to Ponsonby Sheep Unit | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Horse Workshop | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Workshop Name | Date (2025) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation – Animal Biosciences (ABSc) | Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | TBA |
| Orientation – Central Animal Facility (CAF) |
|
9:30 – 11:00 |
| Orientation – Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (HHNS) |
|
1:00 – 2:30 |
| Orientation – Production Animal Isolation Facility (ISO) |
|
10:30 – 12:00 |
| Mouse A – Handling & Restraint |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Wed. 10:30 – 12:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
| Mouse B – Procedures, IP & SQ Injections |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Wed. 10:30 – 12:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
| Rat A – Handling & Restraint |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
| Rat B – Procedures, IP & SQ Injections |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
|
Rodent – Inhalant Anesthesia Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink. |
|
10:30 – 1:00 |
|
Rodent – Surgical Principles Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink. |
|
10:30 – 12:30 |
| Poultry A – Handling & Orientation to Arkell Poultry Unit | Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Poultry B – Procedures (blood collection, injections, and/or administration by gavage) | Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Swine A – Handling & Orientation to Elora Swine Research Centre | Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Swine B – Procedures | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Cattle Workshop and Orientation to Elora Dairy Research and Innovation Centre | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Sheep Workshop and Orientation to Ponsonby Sheep Unit | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Horse Workshop | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Workshop Name | Date (2025) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation – Animal Biosciences (ABSc) |
|
2:30 – 3:30 |
| Orientation – Central Animal Facility (CAF) |
|
9:30 – 11:00 |
| Orientation – Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (HHNS) |
|
1:00 – 2:30 |
| Orientation – Production Animal Isolation Facility (ISO) |
|
10:30 – 12:00 |
| Mouse A – Handling & Restraint |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
| Mouse B – Procedures, IP & SQ Injections |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
| Rat A – Handling & Restraint |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
| Rat B – Procedures, IP & SQ Injections |
|
Tues. 1:30 – 3:00 Thurs. 10:30 – 12:00 |
|
Anesthesia Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink [4]. |
|
10:00 – 1:00 |
|
Surgery Asynchronous lecture to be completed before practical. Available via Courselink [4]. |
|
10:30 – 12:30 |
| Stereotaxic Surgery | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Poultry A – Handling & Orientation to Arkell Poultry Unit | Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Poultry B – Procedures (blood collection, injections, and/or administration by gavage) | Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Swine A – Handling & Orientation to Arkell Swine Unit |
Scheduled workshop dates TBC. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. |
N/A |
| Swine B – Procedures | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Cattle Workshop and Orientation to Elora Dairy Research and Innovation Centre | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Sheep Workshop and Orientation to Ponsonby Sheep Unit | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |
| Horse Workshop | Training is offered on an ‘as needed’ basis. Please contact training@uoguelph.ca [1] for more details. | N/A |