Annual Report to the Monash Research Committee for 2007
Monash University Animal Welfare Committee Recommendation: The Monash Research Committee receives and notes the report of the meetings and activities of the Monash University Animal Welfare Committee (MUAWC) during 2007. The primary role of MUAWC is to ensure a uniform and high standard of animal welfare and ethics in animal experimentation and teaching throughout Monash University. To achieve this, MUAWC formulates and oversees University policy related to the use of animals in research and teaching, monitors the activities and ethical standards of each Faculty/School Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) and ensures that animal facilities are of the highest standard. The MUAWC also assists the AECs by providing training and education programs to students, staff and AEC members as well as implementing new policy and procedures for animal welfare. MUAWC met six times in 2007, and continued to play an active and highly visible role in achieving its objectives. The major events and activities of the Committee during 2007were as follows: 1. TRAINING COURSES 1.1 Training Course in Laboratory Animal Care and Use
The training course „Regulatory Issues and Animal Welfare‟ is compulsory for all new Monash University postgraduate students and staff who wish to use animals in research. The course was conducted with assistance from AEC members and the School of Biomedical Sciences. The course was conducted in Semester 1 on 20 February for laboratory animal users and again on 2 March for wildlife users. The Semester 2 courses were conducted on 3 and 25 July. Feedback from participants indicated that the course was informative and helpful. 264 students and staff attended the courses during 2007. Due to staff changes the practical modules of the Training Course were not offered in 2007. 1.2 Other Training provided to Monash Staff
Training in legal obligations and procedural guidelines was provided to new AEC secretaries and a presentation was given to the staff at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology on their responsibilities with regard to the use of animals in research. Assistance was also provided to researchers in the preparation of animal ethics applications. 1.3 BAW/Animal Welfare Advisory Committee Seminar
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The Seminar "Managing toward humane endpoints" was conducted on Tuesday October 30th 2007 and focused on the challenges of maintaining best practice in defining and implementing humane endpoints. Members of MUAWC and the AECs attended the seminar. POLICY DEVELOPMENT The following MUAWC policies and guidelines were revised or approved during 2007: Policy on the use of Pound Sourced Animals Mouse Identification Guidelines
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Policy on Transporting Animal s from Overseas, Interstate and Local Sources Guidelines for Transporting Rats and Mice within a Monash Campus Policy on Public Statement s Concerning Animal Use and Welfare at Monash University Guidelines for Tumour Induction in Mice and Rats Guidelines for the Housing of Rabbits Guidelines on Euthanasia Carbon Dioxide Guidelines
ANIMAL FACILITY BUILDING PROJECTS 3.1 The facilities at Monash Animal Services, Clayton continued to be re-developed in 2007 with the installation of a new chiller system for air-conditioning system and new autoclaves and wash area in the Production Corridor building. 3.2 The refurbishment of the Animal Facility at the Victorian College of Pharmacy, Parkville was completed in 2007. 3.3 The Committee remains seriously concerned about the inadequate facilities at the Large Animal Facility, Werribee. The animal surgery facility is in need of upgrading and funds have been allocated for this purpose. There have been delays in starting the refurbishment due to lease negotiations with the State government, the owner of the facility.
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AEC AUDITS The ten AECs at the University are the legally constituted animal ethics committees under the Victorian Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act 1986 (the Act) and the 2004 NHMRC Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (the Code). The MUAWC closely and regularly audited the activities of AECs during the year. The audit involved a review of AEC operations to ensure that they are in compliance with the Act and the Code. A selection of approved projects was reviewed to ensure that they had been completed appropriately and adequately. These audits proved highly effective, allowing areas of concern to be identified and investigated and the MUAWC to assist AECs in their duties. The AMREP, Biological Sciences, Gippsland, Monash Animal Services, Monash Medical Centre A, Monash Medical Centre B, School of Psychology, Psychiatry & Psychological Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences A, School of Biomedical Science B and Victorian College of Pharmacy AECs were audited during the year. As part of the auditing procedure MUAWC visits all animal facilities to determine if there are any areas where AECs may need assistance in relation to animal facilities that may affect animal welfare. These visits proved effective, allowing areas of concern to be identified, investigated and actioned. MUAWC identified an on-going need for refurbishment or replacement of existing departmental animal facilities at the Clayton, Parkville, Gippsland and Werribee campuses. The following animal facilities were visited and assessed during 2007: The AMREP Precinct Animal Centre (PAC) Biochemistry Animal Facility Biological Sciences Animal Facility Monash Animal Services, Clayton & Gippsland 2
Microbiology Animal Facility Monash Medical Centre Mouseworks Physiology Animal Facility Psychology Animal Facility and Chick laboratories Victorian College of Pharmacy Animal Facility School of Biomedical Sciences Non-Human Primate Facility Large Animal Facility, Werribee
An Annual Report to the Institution is submitted to MUAWC by AECs in March for the previous year. All AECs inspected their animal facilities during the year as part of the regular committee meetings. The total number of 345 new research, breeding or teaching projects were approved by AECs in 2007 and all approved continuing research, breeding and teaching projects were subject to annual reporting to the AECs. MUAWC submitted a Statement of Compliance with the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes to the National Health and Medical research Council (NHMRC) for 2006. Statement of Compliance with Standard for Humane Care and use of laboratory Animals has been renewed with National Institutes of Health (NIH). An external review of an AEC was conducted by the Bureau of Animal Welfare for the AMREP and MAS AECs SCIENTIFIC LICENCES Monash University continues to hold eight Scientific Procedures Premises Licences and three Specified Animals Breeding Licences issued by the Bureau of Animal Welfare. In addition, during 2007 four interstate licences were issued to Monash University to allow the conduct of research at interstate sites with approval form Monash AECs. 6. APPLICATION AND REPORTING FORMS The “Application for approval of a research or teaching project involving the use of animals” and “Breeding Colony Request “ forms underwent minor revision to streamline data entry and reporting requirements.
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NON-COMPLIANCE REPORTS MUAWC received five reports of non-compliance with the Code during 2007. In all instances the AECs acted appropriately to deal with the issues and to develop procedure to minimise the risk of a repeat of the non-compliance. Where the non-compliance was reported to the BAW, The Bureau was satisfied with the actions taken by the AEC and MUAWC.
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PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR 2008
The proposed membership of MUAWC for 2008 is as per the attached sheet. The MUAWC will again conduct the Training Course in Laboratory Animal Care and Use in the twice-yearly format. The Practical Modules of the Training Course will be recommenced. 3
The modules will be conducted by the Clinical Veterinarians at MAS with administrative assistance provide by the Animal Ethics Office.
The Committee will also continue to perform its audit and policy development functions to ensure that a high standard of animal welfare and ethics in animal experimentation is maintained at the University. Additional Animal Facility inspection visits are planned and the Committee will ensure that funding for Animal Facilities is maintained at an adequate level. Animal Facility building projects are continuing at the STRIP 2/3 Building and at the Monash Medical Centre. MUAWC will review and comment on the plans and specifications for the proposed Animal Facility at the Synchrotron Facility.
Professor R. H. Day Chair Monash University Animal Welfare Committee
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