The Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) ensures the ethical use of animals in teaching, research, and diagnostic testing under the Animal Research Act and related regulations.

It does not oversee animal care in commercial farming or clinical veterinary areas but allows the Animal Welfare Officer to advise on welfare issues in these settings.

The committee also approves the use of animals for diagnosing severe disease outbreaks.

The animal code

The Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes 8^th edition 2013 (updated 2021) defines animals as any live non-human vertebrate and cephalopod (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, squid, octopus, and nautilus). You can't use these animals without AEC approval. The AEC will consider the ethics and scientific merit of animal use, as well as animal welfare. Applicants must consider and apply the ‘3Rs’ (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) in their teaching or research activities.

The ethical framework and governing principles set out in the Animal Code guide investigators, teachers, institutions, animal ethics committees and all people involved in the care and use of animals for scientific purposes.

Why this matters

Staff at Charles Sturt University must comply with the Animal Code and associated legislation concerning the treatment and use of animals. Compliance requirements may include, but are not limited to:

• ensuring appropriate applications are submitted before the commencement of a project
• timely reporting
• operating within project protocols and methodology
• use of animals only as authorised.

Failure to comply with requirements may result in the suspension or termination of a research project and university staff may be subject to disciplinary action and/or termination of employment.

It is important to note that mistreatment or cruelty to animals may also result in prosecution under the Prevention to the Cruelty to Animals Act. Non-compliance also poses a risk at an institutional level and may result in the loss of licence for Charles Sturt University as a registered research facility.

Accreditation and licences

As an animal research establishment, the university is accredited by all state and territory governing bodies, except for the ACT. Accreditation provides a licence as an animal research establishment and an animal supplier. Without these licences, animals cannot be used for research and teaching projects.

These licences undergo review and renewal regularly and include mandatory annual animal usage reports. As such, governing bodies will undertake reviews and inspections of the animal facilities for all accredited locations across our campuses.

In addition to inspections carried out by these governing bodies to meet accreditation, the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) completes separate annual site inspections as required. These site inspections enable the AEC and the university to:

• remain compliant
• ensure our facilities are maintained
• provide guidance where needed.

For more information, please visit the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Accreditation & Licencing page.