Annual Report to the Academic Board for 2005
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 2005. 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 School / 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 2005, and continued to play an active and highly visible role in achieving its objectives. The major events and activities of the Committee during 2005 were as follows: 1. TRAINING COURSES 1.1 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 and the Departments of Physiology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology . 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 300 students and staff enrolled in the various modules (294 staff & students attended the Theory modules and 143 practical places were attended). 1.2 Bureau of Animal Welfare AEC Member Training
The Bureau of Animal Welfare (BAW) conducted two training courses for AEC members. MUAWC assisted members of Monash AECs to attend. 1.3 BAW/Animal Welfare Advisory Committee Seminars
An information evening was held on 8 June 2005 to discuss animal issues from a community members‟ perspective.
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A seminar held at VIAS Attwood on 25 November 2005 was attended by members of MUAWC and AECs. The focus of the seminar was „Putting the 3Rs under the microscope‟. 1.4 Workshop on the Welfare of Sheep as Experimental Animals
The workshop organised by the Animal Welfare Science Centre and Monash University Department of Physiology and the Research Office was conducted on 2021 April 2005 and focused on best practice for the housing and care of sheep used as experimental animals. 2. POLICY DEVELOPMENT The following MUAWC policies were under development or approved during 2005: AEC Monitoring of Animal Breeding Colonies Mouse identification methods CO2 euthanasia in rodents Guidelines on refinement of tail tissue collection procedure for genotyping mice. 3. ANIMAL FACILITY BUILDING PROJECTS 3.1 The MAS facilities at Clayton were extensively redeveloped and refurbished during 2005 in order to meet the facility standards required by the Bureau of Animal Welfare. Temperature control and air handling were upgraded in the rabbit and marmoset areas at the Gippsland Facility and the Rabbit Facility and Production Corridor (East & West wings) at Clayton. The construction of the National Macaque Breeding Facility at the Gippsland Campus continued in 2005. Construction was completed in early 2006. 3.2 The construction of a temporary animal holding facility at the Victorian College of Pharmacy was commenced in 2005. Animals will be housed in this facility during the refurbishment of the Animal House in 2006. 3.3 The Committee has been seriously concerned about the inadequate facilities at the Large Animal Facility, Werribee. The arrangements for providing shade for sheep in the paddocks during hot weather are quite inadequate and require immediate attention. 4 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).
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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, Biochemistry/Anatomy/Microbiology, Biological Sciences, Gippsland, Monash Medical Centre A, Monash Medical Centre B, Pharmacology, Physiology, Psychology 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 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, School of Biomedical Sciences Non-Human Primate and Werribee Large Animal facilities were visited and assessed during 2005. 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. 268 new research or teaching projects were approved by AECs in 2005 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 2005. An external review of an AEC was conducted by the Bureau of Animal Welfare for the Pharmacology AEC. 5. SCIENTIFIC LICENCES Monash University continues to hold eight Scientific Procedures Premises Licences and four Specified Animals Breeding Licences issued by the Bureau of Animal Welfare.
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APPLICATION AND REPORTING FORMS The form “Application for approval of a research or teaching project involving the use of animals” and associated forms were reviewed and updated in line with the revised NHMRC Code of Practice (7th edition).
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REVIEW OF POLICIES FROM EXTERNAL INSTITUTIONS MUAWC provided feedback to the external institutions on the following draft documents: Amendment to Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Act NHMRC Guidelines for the creation, breeding, care & use of genetically modified and cloned animals Senate Animal Welfare Bill Statement of Ethical Principles for Biotechnology.
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PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR 2006
The proposed membership of MUAWC for 2006 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 2006 at the Victorian College of Pharmacy, STRIP 2/3 Building, the Australian Synchrotron and at the Monash Medical Centre. MUAWC will review and comment on the plans and specifications for these projects. Implementation of the “Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of laboratory Mice, Rats, Guinea pigs and Rabbits”. This code becomes a mandatory condition for Scientific Licence on 1 August 2006.
Professor R. H. Day Chair Monash University Animal Welfare Committee
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