Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

How can a technician confirm if the received animals match the order?

1. Check the animal's health

2. Compare the shipping invoice to the purchase order

3. Count the animals

4. Inspect the animals' species

The correct answer is: Compare the shipping invoice to the purchase order

To confirm if the received animals match the order, it is essential to compare the shipping invoice to the purchase order. This process involves verifying that key details such as species, quantity, and any specific strains or genetic backgrounds are consistent between these two documents. The purchase order outlines the agreed-upon specifications prior to the shipment, while the shipping invoice provides the details of what was actually sent. This comparison ensures that the laboratory receives the expected animals with the correct characteristics, which is crucial for the integrity of research and experiments. While counting the animals, checking their health, or inspecting their species can provide useful information about the shipment, these actions alone do not confirm that the animals match the order specifications as thoroughly as a comparison between the shipping invoice and the purchase order.