Do I need AEC Approval?

If you are conducting any form of teaching, research or experimentation involving live animals*, you will need prior AEC approval. AEC approval is not required for participating in recreational activities as a member of the public, such as a visit to the zoo or going on a commercially-operated dolphin cruise; however, if animal-related data will be collected for publication purposes (including Honours or postgraduate theses) during such an activity, prior AEC approval will be required.

*"Animal" is defined by the UniSA AEC, for these purposes, as any:

Non-human vertebrate (including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians)
Cephalopod (e.g. octopus, squid and cuttlefish)
Decapod crustacean (such as crayfish, crabs, lobsters, prawns and shrimp)

Types of activity that require AEC approval include (but are not restricted to):

Using animals for tertiary teaching programmes
Using animals for wildlife studies
Using animals for biomedical, veterinary or other scientific research
Conducting biological surveys
Establishing or maintaining a breeding colony
Using animals for behavioural studies
Incorporating animals into teaching methodologies
Use of animals in agricultural, horticultural or aquacultural research
Removing an animal from its natural environment for research or teaching purposes
Importing, exporting or transporting an animal for research or teaching purposes
Using animals for product testing, environmental testing or production of biological products

If you are conducting a teaching or research activity that is not directly related to animals but is likely to have a direct impact on animals, such as disrupting a natural environment or using a specimen-collection method that is likely to incorporate a by-catch of animals, prior AEC approval may be required, or the activity may qualify for entry on the Reportable Activities Register.

To qualify as a reportable activity not requiring full AEC approval, the following conditions must be satisfied:

The live animals are not the target of the activity, or are not likely to be affected by the activity.

This will apply only where the activity does not differ in any way to activities that may be undertaken by the general public, or where the potential disturbance to animals does not exceed that caused by personnel involved in non-animal-related undertakings (e.g. an engineer taking soil or water samples; a surveyor taking land measurements).

Examples of reportable activities that do not require full AEC approval include, but are not restricted to:

Observation of captive animals that are displayed for public scrutiny, e.g. in zoos or wildlife parks, where such observation is made from public viewing areas only and does not differ from observation activities undertaken by the general public.
Opportunistic remote observation or recording of animals by electronic means (such as cameras or echo locators) where the devices are not placed in or close to an animal’s shelter (e.g. cave, nest, burrow or tree hollow).
Shore-based observation (e.g. using telescopes or binoculars) of marine animals or marine-foraging birds.
Activities involving domestic animals or livestock where the animals are not the subject/target of the research, and the animals will not experience any difference from their normal activities.

Any activity that involves direct interaction with live animals, either as the target of the activity or likely to be affected by the activity, including personal observation of animals within their habitat/natural environment or placing of electronic devices within an animal’s shelter, requires a formal AEC application and approval.

In addition, the Code advises “Institutions are responsible for determining when the use of an animal species not covered by the Code requires approval from an AEC, taking into account emerging evidence of sentience and ability to experience pain and distress” (1). This advice includes both use of animals at early stages of development and use of lower-order animals not currently included in the scope of the Code. The UniSA AEC has already determined that any use of live decapod crustaceans (e.g. lobsters, crabs, shrimp, yabbies) does require full AEC approval. If you have any concerns about whether the animal you are working with requires either AEC approval, or needs to be notified as a Reportable Activity, please contact animalethics@unisa.edu.au.

An application form for entry on the Reportable Activities Register is available here.

The Executive Officer will make an initial determination, in consultation with the Chair and University Veterinarian if required, as to whether the activity qualifies as a reportable activity or whether it requires a formal AEC application.

Once an initial determination has been made that the activity qualifies as a reportable activity, the emailed information will be sent to the AEC Executive for review. If the AEC Executive agrees that the activity can be entered into the Register of Reportable Activities, the register entry will be made and the person responsible for the activity will be advised of the registration number for the activity.

Any enquiries as to whether or not an activity requires AEC approval should be submitted to the Animal Ethics Officer.

(1) National Health and Medical Research Council (2013) Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, 8th edition. Canberra: National Health and Medical Research Council, page 1.