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Guidelines, resources, and updates
Contents
Announcements
2009 Scientific Seminar & Workshop: fieldbased wildlife research - posted 15 October 2009
2008 Regulatory changes - Posted 6 January 2009
Training opportunities
Training for AEC Chairpersons - Posted 6 January 2009
2009 AEC training schedule - Revised 21 October 2008
Advanced training for AEC members - Posted 6 January 2009
AEC Operations
Guidelines for AEC members in Victoria - Posted 16 October 2008.
AEC resource kit - Posted 22 July 2008.
Model AEC project application form - Posted 22 July 2008
3R.s implementation strategies and techniques
3R.s Weblinks - Posted 22 July 2008
Audit templates
Audit templates - Posted 22 July 2008
Types of animal use
NHMRC Guidelines for GM animals - Posted 7 January 2008
Harvesting of blood for commercial or research purposes - Posted 22 July 2008
Guidelines for the use of wildlife - Posted 22 July 2008
Newsletters
Newsletters - Updated 6 January 2009
To view the attached PDF documents you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. A free copy can be downloaded from Adobe Acrobat.
Announcements
2009 Scientific seminar & workshop: field-based wildlife research
The 2009 BAW Scientific Seminar will focus on field-based wildlife research. It will tackle the particular challenges faced by wildlife researchers and their AECs in planning, approving, conducting, or monitoring this type of work. Topics include terrestrial trapping, vertebrate pests and animal welfare; aquatic surveys and animal welfare; thinking about protocols in less controlled environments; and risk management.
Scientific seminar 2009 BAW (PDF 2.3MB)
2008 Regulatory changes
As a result of regular regulatory review, the Victorian Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations expired in 2008 with new Regulations taking effect from 16 December 2008. Changes of potential immediate impact to Scientific Procedures licences are as follows.
Licensing of additional animal types
Scientific Procedures using live adult decapod crustaceans (crabs, lobster and crayfish only) will now need to be authorised by a Scientific Procedures licence. The reason for this change is that there is an increasing amount of peer-reviewed published literature and literature review reports to suggest that such species are sentient and therefore need to be protected when used for such purposes. Pre-existing projects will need to be authorised by a licence and be generally overseen by the nominated AEC, however the pre-existing methodologies may continue within reason until the end of the project. Any new projects will need to be submitted to the AEC for approval.
Record keeping
The monthly record-keeping requirements for Specified Animals held under a licence have been extended to include all species of animal "held". This does not include a requirement to keep monthly records of non-captive animals.
Licence types
The requirement for the holding of Scientific Procedures Premises Licences or Scientific Procedures Fieldwork Licences has been revised. Under the new regulatory system, the following applies:
- An entity that ordinarily uses facilities as Scientific Premises must hold a Scientific Procedures Premises Licence for those premises.
- An entity that legally occupies Scientific Premises must hold a SPPL for those facilities if they are not covered by another SPPL, whether or not that entity undertakes Scientific Procedures. Legal occupation refers to the owning or leasing of premises or the holding of premises under formal agreement.
An example of the latter case is where an institution owns diagnostic facilities used for Scientific Procedures by other institutions, although not by the owner. The facilities are only used infrequently by each institution, although cumulatively the use qualifies the facilities as Scientific Premises. Because of the nature of use, none of the users could be held responsible for the premises and would not be required to hold a Scientific Procedures Premises Licence for those facilities (although they would be required to hold a licence to authorise this as "Fieldwork"). The premises-owner would be considered to be responsible for causing Scientific Procedures to be conducted at those facilities and would be required to hold a SPPL.
Scientific Procedures may only be authorised by a Scientific Procedures Fieldwork Licence if the licence holder does not ordinarily use the work location for those Scientific Procedures.
The requirement to hold a Scientific Procedures Premises Licence or a Scientific Procedures Fieldwork Licence, therefore, depends on a combination of whether an institution is ordinarily using premises for Scientific Procedures, and whether an institution owns and is considered to be responsible for Scientific Premises. Fieldwork notifications must be submitted for all use of locations not listed on a licence.
A licence holder may use Scientific Premises under the authority of its licence whether or not it legally occupies those premises. For risk management purposes however, it is strongly recommended that licence holders establish a formal agreement for Scientific Premises use, the agreement setting-out responsibilities and liabilities of the various parties.
Fee structure
The fee structure for licences has changed. A new fee category has been introduced for small “not for profit” organisations (as per the definition in Part 5 of the Regulations). There is no fee for licences in this category. In addition, current legislation does not permit different levels of licence fees, unless there is justification for a full fee exemption. As a result, all applications for licences and for licence renewals who do not meet the requirements for an exemption must pay the full licence fee regardless of the number of people performing Scientific Procedures under the licence. The full fee exemption continues to apply to registered schools within the meaning of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, and children’s services within the meaning of the Children’s Services Act 1996.
Training
Training for AEC Chairpersons
AEC Chairperson training is also being considered for offer in 2009. The conduct of an Animal Ethics Committee is quite different from other committees, both in function and membership. Effective chairing of an AEC can be very challenging and time consuming. Please indicate your interest in a training course exclusively for Chairs by contacting animalwelfare@dpi.vic.gov.au
2009 AEC training schedule
The DPI through the Bureau of Animal Welfare conducts half-day training sessions (PDF 35KB) principally for Animal Ethics Committee members. Others involved in the industry to whom knowledge of AEC operations would be beneficial, such as licence nominees or ethics and administrative officers, are welcome to attend. In 2009 the training will be at a DPI site in Melbourne from 1:30 - 5:30 on 20 March, 19 June, and 20 October. Further details will be available on application. There is no fee, and bookings are essential. Please email details of training date, attendee name, attendee email contact, the research or teaching institution, and, if relevant, AEC and position on AEC to animal.welfare@dpi.vic.gov.au
Advanced training for AEC members
Advanced AEC training will be offered for the first time in 2009. Feedback from the basic training course and from Bureau of Animal Welfare audits has indicated an interest in more comprehensive information on the rights and responsibilities of AEC members, researchers and institutions. Places in this free course will be limited so please express your interest, and let us know which aspects of the Australian Code or legislation you feel require more explanation. Contact animalwelfare@dpi.vic.gov.au to put yourself on the mailing list for this course.
AEC Operations
Guidelines for AEC members in Victoria
The Guidelines for AEC Members in Victoria provide information on how AECs function within the framework of the Australian Code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes (external link). Areas covered include:
- The role of the AEC
- Introduction of new AEC members
- Confidentiality
- Executive powers
- Qualifications and special contributions of the different member categories.
Guidelines for AEC Members in Victoria (PDF 80KB)
The AEC resource kit
A kit to provide information on the composition, function, and constitution of Animal Ethics Committees. Topics include
- Regulation and guidance on the use of animals in research and teaching
- The 3 R's
- The design of animal experiments
- Assessing a project
- The role of the veterinarian in the care and use of animals in research and teaching
- Animal housing and care
- Standard operating procedures
- Ethical guidelines for using animals in schools and laboratory classes
AEC resource kit Part 1 (PDF 1.2 MB)
AEC resource kit Part 2 (PDF 1.7 MB)
Model AEC project application form
A model application form to conduct research or teaching activities using animals is provided. This may be useful to AECs as an exemplar; to be adopted in parts or as a whole; or to form a core on which an AEC builds it's own form. The form was designed by the Victorian AEC Advisory Committee to satisfy the requirements of the Australian code and Victorian legalisation.
AEC project application form (Word 328KB)
3R.s implementation strategies and techniques
3R's Weblinks
The Weblinks are a resource for online researching 3R.s implementation strategies and techniques.
3R.s Weblinks (PDF 53KB).
Audit templates
Audit forms underpin the Department of Primary Industries assessment of compliance with relevant Victorian legislation. These may provide a useful tool for inspections by AECs, as well as providing a resource for internal review of the AEC's operation.
Types of animal use
NHMRC Guidelines for the generation, breeding, care and use of genetically modified and cloned animals for scientific purposes
The National Health and Medical Research Council Animal Welfare Committee has published Guidelines for the generation, breeding, care and use of genetically modified and cloned animals for scientific purposes (external link). These Guidelines are recommended for licence holders using or breeding these types of animals.
Guidelines for the harvesting of blood for commercial or research purposes
Blood collecting from a live animal, whether in a commercial or research setting, for use in scientific techniques, is regarded as a scientific purpose under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986. The practice must be licensed and overseen by an AEC.
Harvesting of Blood for Commercial or Research Purposes (PDF 141KB).
Guidelines for the use of wildlife
The use of wildlife in research and teaching is regulated by the Wildlife Act 1975 administered by the Department of Sustainability and Environment in addition the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.
Guidelines for the use of wildlife (PDF 14KB).
Newsletters
The Animal Ethics Committee Newsletter provides a source of information and updates relevant to persons involved in the use of animals for research or teaching. The newsletter is emailed to all persons on the animals in research and teaching contact list. Please contact the Bureau on animal.welfare@dpi.vic.gov.au if you would like to be included on the list.
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