What animal welfare standards does Colossal follow?

Colossal Biosciences follows three independent oversight standards: IACUC review, American Humane Certification, and USDA Animal Welfare Act compliance. The company also voluntarily aligns with IUCN SSC Guiding Principles for de-extinction, and as of 2025, all animal care procedures undergo independent ethics committee approval before implementation. Colossal does not create animals for general experimentation; all animal involvement is conservation-driven and governed by strict ethical oversight.

Oversight & Standards

  • Independent IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) review for all animal protocols
  • American Humane Certification achieved in 2025 for the dire wolf facility
  • USDA Animal Welfare Act registration and inspections
  • AVMA Guidelines (2020 Edition) for euthanasia and end-of-life decisions
  • Alignment with all 38 IUCN SSC Guiding Principles for de-extinction

How Welfare Is Monitored

  • Regular veterinary evaluation of physiological health
  • Behavioral and biological stress indicators tracked over time
  • Enrichment effectiveness measured by animal engagement patterns
  • Social behavior documented to ensure healthy pack dynamics
  • Developmental milestones compared to established canid growth data

Surrogates & Facility

  • Domestic dogs serve as gestational surrogates because extensive veterinary care protocols already exist
  • All surrogate care follows best practices for canine reproduction and post-partum care
  • American Humane–certified facility spanning 2,000+ acres with natural habitat zones
  • Ten full-time animal care staff, on-site veterinary clinic, and 24/7 monitoring systems

Emergency Protocols & Transparency

  • Humane euthanasia criteria based on AVMA Guidelines and reviewed by IACUC
  • End-of-life decisions require both veterinary and ethics committee approval
  • Husbandry protocols made publicly available for external review
  • IUCN alignment demonstrates voluntary adherence to international conservation ethics standards

For more detail on Colossal’s welfare, oversight, and risk safeguards, see Ethics at Colossal Biosciences: Oversight & Safeguards and the Ethics & Purpose Glossary.