Skip to main content
NIH Logo NIH Logo

Office of Research Services

Serving the NIH Community

Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted. The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov. Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.

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. Conventional, biohazard, and quarantine holding is available. Other species can be maintained by prior arrangements. 

​Animals are housed in a variety of caging or housing types based on the species in accordance to "The Guide" and usually pair housed with appropriate environmental enrichment. Special housing needs are available at the request of the investigator if the protocol has specific requirements. 

For animal holding related questions, and/or to request animal holding space, please email the DVR Animal Holding Space group.​

Rabbit cage feed and water​​Animal husbandry technician changing cages image