The Animal Care program
(ACP) is managed by the Space Toxicology Office. This
multi faceted program oversees the care of all animals
at Johnson Space Center by providing oversight to
animal outreach programs and animal research programs.
This includes chairing the JSC Animal Care & Use
Committee (JSC ACUC), overseeing the Animal Care Facility
(ACF), the Longhorn Heritage Project, the Attwater
Prairie Chicken endangered species breeding facility,
as well as, the Deer Protection & Control program.
The ACF is specifically designed for housing and
caring for animals used in ground-based life sciences
experiments and in training astronauts for in-flight
animal experiments. The ACF is maintained in accordance
with the American Association for the Accreditation
of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) certification
requirements.
The Longhorn Heritage Project supports local Clear
Creek Independent School District (CCISD) high school
students in conjunction with the Houston Rodeo and
the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association.
The Prairie Chicken breeding facility, in partnership
with the Houston Zoo, supports the repopulation
of the critically endangered Attwater Prairie Chicken.
The deer protection and control program supports
proper care and protection of the onsite white-tailed
deer population that make their home at Johnson
Space Center.
