NIH OLAW Updates New Website, Clarifies Adoption Cost Allowances

By: Galen Cobb
Thursday, July 16, 2026
On June 10, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) announced updates to two key community resources – OLAW’s list of Frequently Referenced Notices and OLAW FAQs.

Guide Notice List Reinstated
OLAW has reinstated and improved the Frequently Referenced Notices list on its website. The list had been absent following OLAW's transfer to the NIH Grants & Funding Policy Topics website, as noted in a previous FASEB Washington Update on the site's initial rollout. Its reinstatement restores researchers' ability to easily access the relevant policy notices governing NIH-funded animal research.

New FAQ on Allowable Adoption Costs
OLAW has published a new FAQ clarifying which costs associated with the post-research adoption of laboratory animals may be covered using grant funds. NIH first permitted grant funds to be used for animal adoption or retirement costs following a policy change effective September 25, 2025. According to the new FAQ, allowable costs may include:

• Preparation of legal documents related to the transfer, such as health certificates and transfer of ownership agreements specifying the terms of the transfer, the animal's health status at the time of transfer, and the institution's relinquishment of responsibility for the animal following transfer.
• Diagnostic testing, appropriate vaccinations, and surgical sterilization were performed prior to transfer, as deemed necessary by the Attending Veterinarian.