Animal welfare

How is animal welfare regulated?

Organisations or individuals that use animals for research, testing and teaching are required to have a code of ethical conduct approved by the Director-General of MAF. This code sets out the policies and procedures which must be followed when using animals for research, testing or teaching. It needs to specify provisions for compliance monitoring, the collection and maintenance of information on projects involving animals and animal management practices and facilities, and allow the fair and prompt handlings of complaints from any member of the animal ethics committee.

An animal ethics committee must be established by an institution (or group of organisations) which has an approved code of ethical conduct. The animal ethics committee's role to consider applications for use of animals in research, testing, and teaching, monitor compliance with project approvals and ensure that appropriate welfare standards are established and maintained. The committee must abide by their institute's Code of Ethical Conduct.

An institutional animal ethics committee must include at least four people, appointed by the institution's Chief Executive. At least three members of the committee must not be members of the institution and must include a:

An institute is required to maintain records of animal use for at least five years, and submit information on numbers of animals usednd nature of experiments or teaching (in broad, general categories) to MAF annually. Institutes and animal ethics committees are independently reviewed regularly to ensure that codes, standards, and processes are being followed.

Codes of animal welfare have been developed by national animal ethics and welfare advisory groups to ensure the humane use of animals for scientific purposes. Of particular relevance here is the "Code of recommendations and minimum standards for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes". This Code provides general principles for the use and care of animals for scientific purposes and the responsibilities of investigators and institutions, and details the terms of reference, membership and operation of institutional animal ethics committees. MAF also has a good practice guide for use of animals in research, testing and teaching, and a guide to the Animal Welfare Act. These are available on MAF's website.

What is regulated?

Only certain animals are regulated by the Animal Welfare Act 1999. All animals with backbones (such as cows, dogs, mice, chickens, lizards, frogs and fish) as well as octopus, squid, crab, lobster and crayfish are regulated.

Non-human hominids (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans) are not allowed to be used in research, testing, or teaching without the approval of the Director-General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF).

The Animal Welfare Act covers treatment of animals on farms, as pets, in the wild and for research, testing and teaching. The information presented on this site deals with research, testing and teaching. "Research, testing and teaching" includes any:

Manipulation is defined as subjecting an animal to a procedure which is unusual or abnormal when compared with normal management or practice. Examples of such manipulations are:

What is not regulated?

Animals such as insects, spiders, shellfish and worms are not covered by the Animal Welfare Act. They are not regulated because, on the basis of scientific opinion, there is insufficient evidence that they are capable of feeling pain. This is in line with other countries' animal welfare policy.

The humane killing of animals for the purposes of undertaking research, testing and teaching is not currently included as a manipulation so does not require an ethical approval. This may change in the future.

Currently, manipulations to an animal in the first half of its period of gestation or embryonic development are not regulated. For example, manipulations on a cow or sheep fetus in the first few months of its development are not regulated (although the welfare of its mother would be regulated).

Why is animal welfare regulated?

The Animal Welfare Act imposes obligations to care for animals. Animals must receive adequate food, water, and shelter, be able to exhibit normal patterns of behaviour, not be subject to unnecessary or unreasonable pain or distress, and be protected from and rapidly diagnosed for any significant injury or disease.

The National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee has published a Good Practice Guide for the Use of Animals in Research, Testing and Teaching and A Culture of Care - A Guide for People Working with Animals in Research, Testing and Teaching [6 pages, 611Kb, PDF]. These and other information on animal welfare are available on MAF's biosecurity website.

Research organisations are encouraged to apply the "Three R's" principle in the use of animals in experiment. These principles are:

Regulatory Process

Use of animals in experiments requires prior approval from an authorised institutional animal ethics committee. Research proposals require identification of the type and number of animals to be used, the nature of the experiments or manipulations, justification for the use of animals and the species and numbers involved, provisions for the care of animals and steps to be taken to minimise and distress or suffering.

Researchers should contact their institutional animal ethics committee to find out when they meet, how to complete an application form, and when applications are required to be sent to them.

Organisations or individuals without their own code of ethical conduct and animal ethics committee may only undertake research, testing and teaching involving animals if they have entered into a formal arrangement with a code holding organisation to use that organisation's animal ethics committee. The code holder must notify MAF in writing of the arrangement before any research, testing and teaching takes place.

Timing and Cost

Code holders may charge external organisations/individuals for use of their animal ethics committee. This is a matter to be agreed between the parties.

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