Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

Class A dealers are those who breed their own animals specifically for sale to research facilities. This designation is significant because these dealers are considered to provide a more controlled and reliable source of animals, as they have raised them under specific conditions that comply with regulatory standards.

This class of dealer is responsible for ensuring that the animals they provide are healthy and well-socialized, thus offering researchers reliable subjects for their studies. Class A dealers must also adhere to various regulations and standards set forth by organizations such as the USDA to guarantee the welfare of the animals throughout their life cycle.

In contrast, other classes, like Class B dealers, typically acquire animals from a variety of sources, including auctions and the wild, and may not have the same level of control over the breeding and early care of the animals. Class C dealers may provide animals for purposes aside from research, and Class D dealers are not commonly defined within this regulatory framework. Thus, the specific role of Class A dealers in breeding and selling their own animals distinctly highlights their contribution to the research community.