Ethics: Research with Animals

• Animal Care and Ethics Committee
  
• Meeting date and submission deadline
• Application and report forms
• Legislation and guidelines
  

UWS complies with the Australian Code of Practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, the NSW Animal Research Act and its Regulations. In addition there are other Guidelines and Codes that must be complied with such as the Australian Agricultural Council Codes of Practice for Animal Welfare, and Guidelines issued by Gene Technology Regulator. Researchers wishing to work with native species must receive approval from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Animal Care and Ethics Committee

All research or teaching exercises involving the use of animals must have the approval of the UWS Animal Care and Ethics Committee (ACEC) before it can proceed.

The ACEC is a representative Committee made up of animal researchers, veterinarians, animal welfare representatives and independent members.

The ACEC has the responsibility to approve proposals (with or without modification) and provide ongoing monitoring of projects and animal holding facilities. By law the Committee is required to maintain accurate records on the use and disposal of any animals at UWS.

Researchers are encouraged to attend meetings of the ACEC in the initial presentation of protocols and Committee members value the input of researchers to enhance the effective functioning of the Committee.

As a general principle the ACEC accepts the use of animals in research and teaching providing there is:

1. a demonstrated educational or research benefit
2. no suitable alternatives available at the time eg. video
3. a minimum number of animals used
4. a demonstrated effort to minimise the likely impact on the welfare of the animals used.

While UWS students or staff may carry out work under a protocol and ARA approved by a non-UWS AEC, no work should commence until the UWS ACEC ratifies the non-UWS ARTP.

Meeting date and submission deadline

Submission deadline	ACEC meeting date
31 January 2013	14 February 2013
28 February 2013	14 March 2013
28 March 2013	11 April 2013
24 April 2013	9 May 2013
6 June 2013	20 June 2013
27 June 2013	11 July 2013
25 July 2013	8 August 2013
29 August 2013	12 September 2013
26 September 2013	10 October 2013
31 October 2013	14 November 2013

Application and report forms

Application Forms:

• Animal Ethics application form (Word, 266Kb) and Information Package (Word, 67Kb)
• Observational Field Research application form (PDF, 680Kb)
  
• Animal Research Authority (Word, 37Kb)
• Hints, tips and other information (PDF, 89Kb)

Report Forms:

• FORM L - Annual Returns for Animal Ethics (opens in a new window)
  
• Final/Progress Report (Word, 48Kb)
• Facility Inspection Report (Word, 72Kb)
• Project Inspection Report (Word, 70Kb)
• Animal Health Monitoring Sheet (Word, 49Kb)
• Death/Adverse Event Reporting form (Word, 52Kb)
  

Legislation and guidelines

• Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes - National Health and Medical Research Council website (opens in a new window)
  
• Animal Research Act 1985 - Austlii website  (opens in a new window)
  
• Animal Welfare Committee - National Health and Medical Research Council website (opens in a new window)
  
• NSW Department of Primary Industries website (opens in a new window)
  
• Animal Welfare - NSW Department of Primary Industries (opens in a new window)
  
• Animal Ethics Infolink website (opens in a new window)
  
• NHMRC Guidelines on Monoclonal Antibody Production - National Health and Medical Research Council website (opens in a new window)
  
• Ethical Guidelines for Students using Animals and Animal Tissues for Educational Purposes (PDF, 64Kb)
• Guidelines for Amendments to Approved Animal Ethics Applications (PDF, 16Kb)
• Guidelines for Overseas Projects in Association with Australian Institutions (PDF, 8Kb)

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