Animal Ethics Committee

The Animal Ethics Committee oversees the care of animals that are to be used for scientific purposes at UWA.

You should be aware of the Committee's membership and its composition.

1. Terms of reference
2. Meeting and submission dates

Terms of reference

1. The Committee is responsible to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) for:
   1. monitoring the acquisition, transport, production, housing care, use and disposal of animals;
   2. recommending any measures needed to ensure that the standards of the Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, 8th edition 2013  (the Code) are maintained
   3. examining written proposals relevant to the use of animals in scientific and teaching activities and either approve, approving subject to modification or rejecting such proposals provided that the Committee approves only those studies for which animals are essential and which conform to the requirements of the Code, taking into consideration ethical and welfare aspects as well as scientific an educational value
   4. examining and commenting on all institutional plans and policies which may affect animal welfare
   5. ensuring that a register of approved proposals is maintained
      
   6. performing all other duties required by the Code.
2. The Committee has the power to withdraw approval for any project or authorise the treatment or humane euthanasia of any animal.

The Committee reviews all projects for work involving the use of animals in all University facilities and the Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre.

Ethics approval for animal use for projects involving staff working with animals at Telethon Kids and Perkins Institute has been delegated to the relevant ethics committees at those institutions.

Any researcher submitting an application for funding to the National Health and Medical Research Council is required to obtain ethics approval from the Committee for any project using animals stating that it complies with the principles outlined in the Code. The Committee also reviews all projects using animals in teaching classes.

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Meeting and submission dates

To apply for a new Animal Ethics approval sign in to UWA's Research Online Application Portal (ROAP) https://roap.uwa.edu.au/

It is strongly recommended that you consult with the Animal Welfare Veterinary Advisor for guidance preparing your application (contact: [email protected]). 

• You also need to consult with the manager of the animal facility you will be working with, this may involve a pre-application process.
• The Committee recommends applications be submitted a minimum of four months before the intended project start date.
• Teaching units involving animals will require submission of ethics applications to the Committee for consideration before the unit is advertised.
• The Chief Investigator is responsible for ensuring applications are fully endorsed by all respective parties (Head of School and the animal facility coordinator/curator). The Director, Animal Care Services or the Curator of other UWA facilities is also required to endorse the application prior to submission.
• To arrange an appointment with the Director, Animal Care Services, to discuss animal housing ahead of the cut-off date for submission of agenda items, please contact Animal Care Services on (+61 8) 6488 6606.
• Late applications received after 4pm on the cut-off date for receipt of agenda items (cut-off dates below) will automatically be held over for consideration at the next meeting.

The distribution of animal ethics applications to the two UWA AECs (Blue and Green) is now based on animal species.

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