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Animals in education

Teachers and scientific investigators in Queensland schools that use animals:

Are directly responsible for the welfare of the animals in their care.
Must submit applications to the Queensland Schools Animal Ethics Committee (QSAEC) and have those applications approved before any animal-use activities can be undertaken in their school.
Must apply to the QSAEC for any variation/s to the approved EQ applications and gain QSAEC approval for this variation prior to undertaking the animal-use activity.
Must comply with the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001, the Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, 7th Edition 2004, and any requirements requested by the QSAEC.
Must ensure appropriate animals in minimal numbers are used.
Must ensure that pain and stress are minimised.
Are responsible for monitoring and record keeping of the animals on their site.
Must report any unexpected adverse events that may occur with any animals for which they are responsible.

What is animal ethics?

The ethical use of animals for scientific purposes and teaching is a legal obligation in Australian educational institutions.

The use of animals in Queensland schools falls under the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 which aims to:

Provide standards for animal care and use
Protect animals from cruelty
Safeguard the welfare of animals used for scientific purposes
Ensure that the animal use is justified, humane and considerate ofanimals' needs
Provide responsible animal care and use.

Compliance with the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 and the Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, 7thEdition 2004, is a legal obligation of all Queensland educational institutions.

Animal welfare

Here are some quotes from the Code about Animal Welfare.

'an animal's quality of life based on an assessment of an animal's physical and psychological state as an indication of how the animal is coping with the ongoing situation as well as a judgment about how the animal feels.
Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, 7th Edition 2004, p.3.

1.16 Animals should be transported, housed, fed, watered, handled and used under conditions that meet species-specific needs. The welfare of the animals must be a primary consideration in the provision of care, which should be based on behavioural and biological needs.
Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, 7th Edition 2004, p.6.

1.14 Investigators and teachers who use animals for scientific purposes have personal responsibility for all matters relating to the welfare of these animals. They have an obligation to treat the animals with respect and to consider their welfare as an essential factor when planning or conducting projects.
Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, 7th Edition 2004, p.5.

3.1.1 Investigators and teachers have personal responsibility for all matters related to the welfare of the animals they use and must act in accordance with all requirements of the Code. This responsibility begins when an animal is allocated to a project and ends with its fate at the completion of the project.
Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, 7th Edition 2004, p. 21.

The general principles of using animals in education are:

Seek alternatives to using animals whenever and wherever possible.
Students are encouraged and provided with opportunities to discuss ethical, social and scientific issues that relate to the use of animals in both educational and agricultural systems.
Whenever and wherever possible encourage the use of non-animal models to achieve educational outcomes.
Vocational training aspects that involve procedures that cause adverse impacts on animals that students carry out must be justified to the QSAEC.

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This page was last reviewed on 10 Jan 2013