EnCCoMPass Census Help

It is important for you activate or deactivate cages in EnCCoMPass on the exact date on which the cage is created or discontinued. If a cage is detected during the weekly scan conducted by RARC without having been activated, EnCCoMPass will activate the cage back to the day after the previous scan date and generate per diem charges for this period. The same process applies in reverse to cage deactivation; however, per diem is incurred up to the day before the cage was no longer found in the scan.

Example 1: The weekly census scan for the holding room was performed on Monday the 1st. A cage was created by an animal user on Wednesday, the 3rd, but the cage card was not activated. The next weekly census scan was performed on Monday, the 8th. EnCCoMPass does not know that the cage was created on Wednesday the 3rd and will retroactively charge per diem beginning Tuesday the 2nd, which results in charges for an extra day (Tuesday the 2nd) since the user did not activate the cage on Wednesday the 3rd.

Example 2: The weekly census scan for the holding room was performed on Monday the 1st. All animals within a cage were euthanized by an animal user on Wednesday the 3rd, but the cage card was not deactivated. The next weekly census scan is performed by RARC on Monday, the 8th. EnCCoMPass does not detect the cage that was removed on Wednesday the 3rd and will charge per diem forward through and including Sunday the 7th, which results in 4 extra days of charges since the user did not deactivate the cage on Wednesday the 3rd.

Activated are cage cards assigned to an existing cage in the animal facility and for which your lab is currently being billed.

Deactivated are cage cards that were deactivated by you or RARC in EnCCoMPass. These cage cards are not accruing per diem.

Non-activated are cage card that have been generated in EnCCoMPass and pre-printed but which have not yet been placed on a cage and activated. These cage cards are not accruing per diem.

No, you cannot reuse barcodes for another cage. If a cage/barcode is reactivated after having been deactivated within 30 days you will be charged back to the original deactivation date.

Combine the animals into an existing cage.

Deactivate the cage that you eliminated using EnCCoMPass and clip the deactivated cage card behind the cage card of the existing combined cage. This is best done using a large paper clip to make sure that the deactivated card remains hidden and is not accidentally scanned.

When ready, separate the animals and place the original cage card that you previously deactivated on the newly generated cage. Activate this cage card in EnCCoMPass.

If these steps are followed you will not be billed retroactively for the time the cage was deactivated.

It is the person responsible for the cage and the associated animals and is notified of issues related to the cage for which they are listed as the Animal User.

No. Since the Animal User is the individual contacted for all issues with the cage, the correct person must be listed on the card and in EnCCoMPass. Ensure that cages and EnCCoMPass identify the appropriate individual as the Animal User.

All animal users on a protocol can see and edit all cages on the protocol.

No. However, there is functionality within EnCCoMPass that allows other users on the same protocol to be copied on notifications sent for GOC/OC cages, resolution of GOC cages, and identification of Dead Animals. See the document Instructions for Census Preferences in EnCCoMPass: Steps 4.3-4.3.5 Lab Manger Opt-Out (In) Options.

You should add/link your own networked lab printer to EnCCoMPass to be able to print basic cage card labels. Specialized/Extended labels need to be printed from a DYMO LabelWriter. See the document Instructions for Census Preferences in EnCCoMPass: Steps 3.-3.3 Print Options. This will also explain the differences between a Basic and Extended cage card label.

Your name is not in the drop down because you are not listed as an Animal User on the selected protocol. You should speak to your PI. They must submit an amendment to have you included.

Yes, it is important to ensure the cage card accurately reflects the most up to date information regarding the cage. The cage card number will not change when you reprint it.

There is only one set of cage numbers and they are used sequentially by all investigators and animal users at the institution. Each cage card number is unique. Each time you print a cage card the starting number will be the next sequential number available in the system.

The cage card number is assigned to a cage and never changes, regardless of any changes made to the cage information in EnCCoMPass, nor changes when a cage card is reprinted.

The barcode number is assigned to identify each individually printed cage card and is only visible on the Edit Cage page in EnCCoMPass.

This means that if you want to reprint a cage label because the old label was damaged accidentally or the barcode could not be read, or because you changed a funding source or animal user, a new barcode number will be created in EnCCoMPass but the cage number appearing on the front of the label will remain the same as on the old label. Note: you can see the barcode history for a cage number in the Cage History page.

A reprinted cage card can only be used on the same cage as the original card as both cards have the same cage card number and the system considers them to be the same cage.

If RARC purchased the SPHUB (water or feed) you will be charged a daily fee in addition to the appropriate per diem for the cage itself. If you purchased the SPHUB, you will not be charged an additional fee.

RARC does their best to estimate when pups should be weaned but may be off by a day or two, particularly if the DOB is not written on the cage. If the cage is not a GOC, then you still have 7 days before which to wean the cage. If you do not want to receive the notification email for crowded cages, you can opt out of them on the Census Preferences page.

You can view the Training Video RARC has prepared to provide a detailed overview of the module.

You can review help instructions for managing Cages, Special Husbandry, Preferences and Reports in the Census Module of EnCCoMPass.

You may also send an email to rarc_ho@mskcc.org or rarc_ho@med.cornell.edu if you have questions that are not answered in the resources listed above.

Submit a SPHUB form indicating the special diet the animals will be on and check “no” for full hopper. In the justification section list the exact start and end dates and times for the fast(s) and provide a justification for fasting. If you have an existing approved form for special diet and you want to begin fasting the animals already on that diet, you will need to resubmit a new request following the procedure indicated above.