Animal Welfare Act 1999

Use of animals in research, testing, and teaching - Animal ethics committees

100: Criteria

You could also call this:

"Things to consider when deciding if a project with animals is okay"

When you are on an animal ethics committee, you must think about certain things when someone asks to do a project with animals. You need to consider the purpose of the project, but not if it involves manipulation that is covered by section 3(1A).

You also need to think about what the project is trying to achieve in terms of science or education. You must consider how the animals will be affected by the project and whether their pain or distress can be reduced.

You have to think about whether the project is well designed and if the right animals are being used. You must also consider whether the people doing the project are qualified and if the animals will be well cared for.

If a project involves killing animals, you must make sure it is done in a way that does not cause unnecessary pain or distress. You also need to think about whether the project's findings will be used and shared with others.

When a project involves manipulation covered by section 3(1A), you must be satisfied that the animals will be killed humanely.

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Part 6Use of animals in research, testing, and teaching
Animal ethics committees

100Criteria

  1. In considering any application for the approval of a project and in setting, varying, or revoking conditions of the approval of a project, every animal ethics committee must have regard to such of the following matters as are relevant:

  2. the purposes of this Part, but the committee need not have regard to the purpose stated in section 80(1)(b) for any part of the project that involves manipulation to which section 3(1A) applies; and
    1. any matters that the committee is required to consider by regulations made under this Act; and
      1. the scientific or educational objectives of the project; and
        1. the harm to, or the distress felt by, the animals as a result of the manipulation, and the extent to which that harm or distress can be alleviated by any means (including, where the pain or distress cannot be held within reasonable levels, the abandonment of the manipulation or the humane destruction of animals), but this paragraph does not apply to the killing of animals for the purpose of any project where research, testing, and teaching are to be performed on their bodies or tissues; and
          1. whether the design of the experiment or demonstration is such that it is reasonable to expect that the objectives of the experiment or demonstration will be met; and
            1. the factors that have been taken into account in the choice of animal species; and
              1. the extent to which there has been—
                1. assessment of the suitability of using non-sentient or non-living alternatives in the project; and
                  1. replacement of animals as subjects with suitable non-sentient or non-living alternatives; and
                  2. whether the number of animals to be used is the minimum necessary to ensure a meaningful interpretation of the findings and the statistical validity of the findings; and
                    1. whether adequate measures will be taken to ensure the general health and welfare of animals before, during, and after manipulation; and
                      1. whether suitably qualified persons will be engaged in supervising and undertaking the research, testing, or teaching; and
                        1. whether any duplication of an experiment is proposed and, if so, whether any such duplication will be undertaken only if the original experiment—
                          1. is flawed in a way that was not able to be predicted; or
                            1. needs to be duplicated for the purpose of confirming a result that was unexpected or has far-reaching implications; and
                            2. whether the same animals are to be used repeatedly in successive projects, and, if so, the cumulative effect of the successive projects on the welfare of the animals; and
                              1. whether there is a commitment to ensuring that findings of any experiment will be adequately used, promoted, or published; and
                                1. any other matters that the committee considers relevant.
                                  1. When an animal ethics committee considers approving a research, testing, and teaching project that involves manipulation to which section 3(1A) applies, the committee must be satisfied that every animal that will be subject to that manipulation will be killed in such a manner that the animal does not suffer unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress.

                                  Notes
                                  • Section 100(1)(a): amended, on , by section 41(1) of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).
                                  • Section 100(1)(d): amended, on , by section 41(2) of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).
                                  • Section 100(1)(fa): inserted, on , by section 41(3) of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).
                                  • Section 100(2): inserted, on , by section 41(4) of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).