Appendix for UNIMAS Research Policy

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Appendix 5: Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes
(Adopted from National Health and Medical Research Centre, Australia. http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/ea16syn.htm)

 

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SECTION 1: GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE CARE AND USE OF ANIMALS FOR SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES

The Code emphasises the responsibilities of all those involved in the care and use of animals.

This embraces a duty of care that 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.

Encapsulated in the Code is the need in scientific and teaching activities to consider:

• the Replacement of animals with other methods;
• the Reduction in the number of animals used; and
• the Refinement of techniques used to reduce the adverse impact on animals.

 

JUSTIFICATION

1.1 Scientific and teaching activities using animals may be performed only when they are essential:

• to obtain and establish significant information relevant to the understanding of humans
  and/or animals;
• for the maintenance and improvement of human and/or animal health and welfare;
• for the improvement of animal management or production;• to obtain and establish significant information relevant to the understanding, maintenance or improvement of the natural environment; or• for the achievement of educational objectives.

1.2 Projects using animals may be performed only after a decision has been made that they are justified, weighing the predicted scientific or educational value of the projects against the potential effects on the welfare of the animals.

1.3 Investigators and teachers must submit written proposals to an AEC for all animal projects which must take into account the expected value of the knowledge to be gained, the justification for the project, and all ethical and animal welfare aspects taking into consideration the 3Rs.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1.4 Investigators and teachers who use animals for scientific purposes have personal responsibility for all matters relating to the welfare of these animals. They have anobligation to treat the animals with respect and to consider their welfare as an essential factor when planning or conducting projects.

1.5 Institutions using animals for scientific purposes must ensure, through an AEC, that all animal use conforms to the standards of the Code.

1.6 Scientific and teaching activities must not commence until written approval has been obtained from the AEC.

1.7 The acquisition, care and use of animals for all scientific purposes in Australia must be in accordance with the Code and with Commonwealth, and State or Territory legislation.

 

REPLACEMENT

1.8 Techniques that totally or partially replace the use of animals for scientific purposes must be sought and usd wherever possible.

 

REDUCTION

1.9 Each project must use no more than the minimum number of animals necessary to ensure scientific and statistical validity.

1.10 The principle of reducing the number of animals used should not be implemented at the expense of greater suffering of individual animals.

1.11 Scientific and teaching activities involving the use of animals must not be repeated unless essential for the purpose or design of the project.

1.12 Teaching activities must involve no more than the minimum number of animals required to reach the educational objectives.

1.13 Overproduction of animals bred for scientific purposes should be avoided so that the need to kill healthy animals is minimised.

 

REFINEMENT

1.14 Animals must be suitable for the scientific purpose taking into account their biological characteristics including behaviour, genetic attributes and nutritional, microbiological and general health status.

1.15 The design and management of animal accommodation should meet species-specific needs. Special consideration is required where this is precluded by the requirements of the project.

1.16 Animals should be transported, housed, fed, watered, handled and used under conditions that meet species-specific needs. The welfare of the animals must be a primary consideration in the provision of care, which should be based on behavioural and biological needs.

1.17 Wildlife should not be taken from natural habitats unless animals bred in captivity are not available or are not suitable for the specific scientific purpose.

1.18 Investigators and teachers who use animals for scientific purposes must employ the best available scientific and educational techniques and be competent in the procedures they perform or must be under the direct supervision of a person competent in the procedure.

1.19 Projects should be designed to avoid both pain and distress in animals. If this is not possible, pain or distress must be minimised.

1.20 Pain and distress cannot be evaluated easily in animals and therefore investigators and teachers must assume that animals experience these in a manner similar to humans unless there is evidence to the contrary. Decisions regarding the animals’ welfare must be based on this assumption.

1.21 An animal with signs of pain or distress not predicted in the proposal, must have the pain or distress alleviated promptly. Alleviation of such pain or distress must take precedence over completing a project. If this is not possible the animal must be euthanased without delay.

1.22 Scientific and teaching activities that may cause pain or distress of a kind or degree for which anaesthesia would normally be used in medical or veterinary practice, must be carried out using anaesthesia appropriate to the species and the procedure.

1.23 Pain management appropriate to the species, the procedure and the circumstances must be provided.

1.24 The use of local or general anaesthetic, analgesic or tranquillising agents must be appropriate to the species, and should at least parallel their use in current medical or veterinary practice.

1.25 Where it is established that the purpose of the project precludes the use of anaesthetic or analgesic agents to alleviate pain, the planned end-point of the project must be as early as feasible to avoid or minimise pain or distress in the animals.

1.26 Neuromuscular blocking agents must not be used without appropriate general anaesthesia, except in animals where sensory awareness has been eliminated. If such agents are used, continuous or frequent monitoring of paralysed animals is essential toensure that the depth of anaesthesia is adequate to prevent pain or distress.

1.27 Death as an end-point’ must be avoided wherever possible. (Death as an end-point: when the death of an animal is the deliberate measure used for evaluating biological or chemical processes, responses or effects. That is, where the investigator or teacher will not intervene to kill the animal humanely before death occurs in the course of a scientific activity.)

1.28 Scientific and teaching activities involving the use of animals must be of minimum duration compatible with the objectives of the project.