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Office of Research Services

Serving the NIH Community

Animal Facility Management

​​​​DVR supports the NIH Community by providing facility management services, housing and husbandry, veterinary and critical care, quarantine, enrichment, and nutrition. DVR manages 11 buildings encompassing 300,000 gross square feet of animal housing and laboratory space at the NIH Bethesda campus, and 7 buildings encompassing 150,000 gross square feet of animal housing space at the 513 acre NIH animal center in Poolesville, Maryland. DVR provides housing for approximately 100,000 animals, primarily rodents, but for rabbits, primates, carnivores, and ungulates as well. DVR has the capability of housing animals in conventional, SPF, or hazard containment environments.​

For specific facility contacts, please refer to our DVR Resources​ Customer SharePoint site.

Guinea Pig Family image Herd of Sheep in a barn




Animal Facility Management Areas
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Animal Holding & Husbandry

DVR maintains holding facilities for rodents, rabbits, non-human primates, carnivores, and ungulates in both the Animal Center in Poolesville and on the Bethesda campus.

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Animal Procurement

DVR provides centralized procurement of rodents and rabbits from established commercial animal vendors.

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Cage Wash Services

DVR operates multiple cage wash facilities on the NIH Bethesda campus and at the NIH Animal Center.

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Facilities & Equipment Section (FES)

​​​​​All animal facilities and equipment must adhere to strict standards, policies and guidelines by animal care and use policies, oversight legislation and review groups.  



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