Animal Welfare Act 1999

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

101: Membership

You could also call this:

"Who is on the animal ethics committee and how are they chosen?"

An animal ethics committee must have at least 4 members. You need to know who appoints these members and what rules they must follow. The members are appointed by the chief executive of the organisation or their nominee.

If the organisation is in charge of the code, one member must be the code holder or a senior member of the organisation. This senior member must be able to evaluate project proposals and the skills of the person proposing the project. They must also be able to assess the value of the project.

One member must be a veterinarian who is not employed by the code holder, and they are appointed on the nomination of the New Zealand Veterinary Association. Another member is appointed on the nomination of an approved organisation, but they cannot be employed by the code holder or involved in animal research. A territorial authority or regional council also nominates a member, who cannot be employed by the code holder or associated with the scientific community.

The members of the committee hold their positions for terms and conditions specified in the code of ethical conduct. You can find out more about the code of ethical conduct, but for now, you know who is on the committee and how they are appointed. The committee members have important roles to play in evaluating projects and ensuring animal welfare.

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This page was last updated on 19 May 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM51226.

Topics:

Environment and resources > Farming and fishingHealth and wellbeing > Public health

100: Criteria, or

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

102: Procedure, or

"How an animal ethics committee makes its decisions and works"

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

101Membership

Each animal ethics committee is to consist of at least 4 members.
If the code holder is an organisation, the members of the animal ethics committee must be appointed by the chief executive of the organisation or his or her nominee.
One member must be—
the code holder; or
if the code holder is an organisation, a senior member of the organisation appointed by the chief executive to be a member of the committee.

Any senior member of an organisation who is appointed under subsection (3)(b) must be a person who is capable of evaluating—
each proposal for a project; and
the qualifications and skills of the proposer of a project; and
the scientific value or the teaching value, as the case may require, of a project.

One member must be a veterinarian (not being a veterinarian who is an employee of, or is otherwise associated with, the code holder) appointed by the code holder on the nomination of the New Zealand Veterinary Association or a similar national body of veterinarians.
One member must be a person appointed by the code holder on the nomination of an approved organisation.
The person appointed under subsection (6) must not be—
a person who is in the employ of, or is otherwise associated with, the code holder; or
a person who is involved in the use of animals for research, testing, or teaching.

One member must be a person appointed by the code holder on the nomination of a territorial authority or regional council.
The person appointed under subsection (8) must not be—
a person who is in the employ of, or is otherwise associated with, the code holder; or
a person who is associated with the scientific community or an animal welfare agency.

The appointed members of each animal ethics committee hold office for such terms and on such conditions as are specified in the code of ethical conduct.