Annual Report to the Academic Board for 2004
Monash University Animal Welfare Committee Recommendation: The Academic Board receives and notes the report of the meetings and activities of the Monash University Animal Welfare Committee (MUAWC) during 2004. The year 2004 was the 8th year of operation of MUAWC, which originated from the earlier Standing Committee on Ethics in Animal Experimentation (SCEAE). The primary role of MUAWC is to ensure a uniform and high standard of animal welfare and ethics in animal experimentation 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 Departmental / Hospital 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. MUAWC met six times in 2004, and continued to play an active and highly visible role in achieving its objectives. The major events and activities of the Committee during 2004 were as follows: 1. TRAINING COURSES (A) TRAINING COURSE IN LABORATORY ANIMAL CARE AND USE
The training course 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 AECs, Department of Physiology and Monash Animal Services. The course conducted in February/March consisted of 4 specifically designed modules and covered regulatory issues, animal care and handling, surgical techniques and practical experience. The course was re-run in August. Feedback from participants indicated that the course was informative and helpful. Over 250 students and staff enrolled in the various modules (230 staff & students attended the Theory modules and 85 practical places were offered). (B) ANZCCART Conference
The annual ANZCCART conference held in Sydney on 26-28 September 2004 was attended by a small contingent of AEC and MUAWC members. The conference theme was „Animal ethics: new frontiers, new opportunities” which referred to the emergence of new technologies in biomedical and agricultural sciences and the need to stay in touch with changing community expectations.
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(C) BAW/Animal Welfare Advisory Committee Seminar The seminar held at VIAS Attwood on 17 December 2004 was attended by members of MUAWC and AECs. The main focus of the seminar was the release of the 7th edition of the NHMRC Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes. 2. POLICY DEVELOPMENT The following MUAWC policies were under development or approved during 2004: MUAWC Policy on AEC Monitoring of Animal Breeding Colonies. Definition of the word "Animal" for the purposes of animal ethics was revised to the following to reflect legislative changes:
“Any live non-human vertebrate (including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish) or live crustaceans, octopus or squid.” Additional Animal Use Categories to enable compliance with reporting requirements of the Bureau of Animal Welfare and NHMRC.
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MONASH ANIMAL SERVICES (MAS) NEW BUILDING PROJECTS The MUAWC continues to play an active role in monitoring the services of the new building (Rodent Breeding & Research) and ensuring the standard of welfare of animals in the existing facilities of MAS. The MAS facilities at Clayton are being extensively redeveloped and refurbished in order to meet the facility standards required by the Bureau of Animal Welfare. Temperature control and air handling has been upgraded at the Gippsland Facility. The tender application process for the construction of the Non-Human Primate Breeding Facility at the Gippsland Campus was completed in 2004. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2005.
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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
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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, Biochemistry/Anatomy/Microbiology, Gippsland, Monash Medical Centre A, Monash Medical Centre B, Pharmacology, Physiology, Psychology and Victorian College of Pharmacy AECs were audited during the year. The audit of the Biological Sciences AEC was postponed until meeting 1/2005. 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 and Gippsland campuses. The AMREP Precinct Animal Centre (PAC), Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Monash Animal Services Clayton & Gippsland, Microbiology, Monash Medical Centre, Mouseworks, Pharmacology, Physiology, Psychology, Victorian College of Pharmacy and School of Biomedical Sciences Non-Human Primate animal facilities were visited and assessed during 2004. An Annual Report to the Institution is submitted to MUAWC by AECs at the end of each year. All AECs inspected their animal facilities during the year as part of the regular committee meetings. 267 new research or teaching projects were approved by AECs in 2004 and all approved continuing research 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 NHMRC for 2004. External reviews of AECs were conducted by the Bureau of Animal Welfare for: Biochemistry/Anatomy/Microbiology AEC Biological Sciences AEC Monash Animal Services, Clayton & Gippsland 5. SCIENTIFIC LICENCES Following the amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1986) which came into force on 1 July 2004 Monash University applied for and was issued with 9 Scientific Procedures Licences and 4 Specified Animals Breeding Licences. 6. APPLICATION AND REPORTING FORMS
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The application for approval of a research or teaching project involving the use of animals form and associated forms were reviewed and updated in line with the revised NHMRC Code of Practice (2004). 7. REVIEW OF NHMRC POLICIES MUAWC provided feedback to the NHMRC on the following draft policy: Draft guidelines on Xenotransplantation. 8. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR 2005
The proposed membership of MUAWC for 2005 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, if demand for the second semester course is sufficient. 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. New Animal House building projects are scheduled to commence during 2005 at the STRIP 2/3 Buildings and the Australian Synchrotron (Clayton Campus) and at the Monash Medical Centre. MUAWC will review and comment on the plans and specifications for these projects.
Professor R. H. Day Chair Monash University Animal Welfare Committee
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