Curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment > Across the curriculum > Animal ethics >

Standard Operating Procedures

To support schools, the Queensland Schools Animal Ethics Committee (QSAEC) has a list of pre-approved activities covering categories 2 and 3 for specific animal types detailed in a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). These activities have already been considered and accepted by the committee as being ethically sound. SOPs are available for:

Whilst teachers are able to carry out the approved activities outlined in the SOP without further QSAEC approval, it is important that QSAEC be advised of who will be responsible for the use of animals in schools and how many animals will be used.

QSAEC provides these pre-approved activities on the understanding that two conditions are met:

Schools using them must notify QSAEC of the teacher who will be responsible for the welfare of the animals and the number of animals used, by completing the Activity Notification form found at the end of the SOP. The school principal must also sign this form. Submission of this form will generate a QSAEC approval number that will then be sent to the school and can be recorded on the School Based Activity Register 114k.
The pre-approved activities must be followed as detailed and when the activity has concluded, an Annual Completion Report 116k must be sent to QSAEC.

The SOPs are reviewed by the QSAEC at least every 3 years. All schools will be required to complete a new Activity Notification form after the QSAEC has completed this review and a new version of the SOP is approved for use by schools.

^ Top of page

This page was last reviewed on 07 Jun 2012