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Animal Ethics

The use of vertebrate animals for research or teaching purposes must meet the requirements of the NSW Animal Research Act, NSW Animal Research Regulation, and the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes” (enacted under the Act). The legislation embodies the principles of reduction in the number of animals used, replacement of animals with non-animal alternatives, and refinement of techniques and procedures to reduce the impact on animals.

The University of Newcastle Animal Care and Ethics Committee (ACEC) has been established under the NSW legislation, to oversee the care and use of animals in research and teaching at the University of Newcastle, the Hunter Area Health Service and several other accredited research establishments. Before any vertebrate animal can be used for research or teaching purposes, the investigator must obtain approval from the ACEC.

Investigators who use animals for research or teaching purposes have a personal responsibility for all matters relating to the welfare of the animals they use. This responsibility embraces a duty of care which demands a genuine commitment to the welfare of the animals, a respect for the contribution the animals make to research and teaching, and a desire to promote the animals' wellbeing.

NOTICE: 29 January 2010

Details of the Online Modules of the 2010 Research Animal Training Scheme (RATS) are now available: Click Here

Quicklinks:

Application Forms
Adverse Events
Standard Operating Procedures
Monitoring checklist - Templates

Recent Updates:

March 2010	Revised guidelines for Adverse Events
February 2010	Revised NHMRC guidelines "The use of animals for training interventional medical practitioners and demonstrating new medical equipment and techniques (2009)"
September 2009	Revision of the Australian Code
May 2008	NHMRC guidelines "Guidelines to promote the wellbeing of animals used for scientific purposes: The assessment and alleviation of pain and distress in research animals"
February 2008	Updated guidelines for Peer Review and Linking a funding source to an animal ethics project
23 October 2007	Application form download page
19 October 2007	Templates for Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
19 October 2007	Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with current ACEC approval (Uni ID required)
28 September 2007	Animal ethics staff and contacts
1 September 2007	Guidelines for generation, breeding, care and use of GM and cloned animals
23 July 2007	ACEC application forms. The 2007 versions of ALL application forms (Initial, Renewal, Repeat Initial and Variation [protocol and personnel]) must be used after 1 September 2007.