Reporting and recordkeeping for animal facilities used for scientific purposes

Reporting

Animal facility managers are required to ensure they provide reports to their animal ethics committee (AEC) in accordance with the institution’s policies and procedures and the Australian code for the use of animals for scientific purposes (scientific use code). This includes:

an annual report of activities
and
prompt notification of unexpected adverse events relating to animals for which the facility manager is responsible (see clause 2.5.15 of the scientific use code).

Recordkeeping

Animal facility managers are required to maintain and make available records in accordance with the scientific use code.

Records	Relevant clause
Animal carers must maintain records of the care and monitoring of animals and, for breeding facilities, the health status and breeding performance of animals	Clause 2.5.11
Records of animal monitoring must be sufficient to enable the AEC to verify that the wellbeing of animals is monitored and allow review and critical investigation of the cause(s) of and response to unexpected adverse events as a basis for future prevention strategies	Clause 2.5.12
Animal carers should ensure that records relating to health status and breeding performance include: the source, care, supply, movement between locations and use of animals details of diseases in the facility the fertility, fecundity, morbidity and mortality rates of breeding colonies and the health status, genetic constitution and physical environment of the animals	Clause 2.5.13

Records

Relevant clause

Animal carers must maintain records of the care and monitoring of animals and, for breeding facilities, the health status and breeding performance of animals

Clause 2.5.11

Records of animal monitoring must be sufficient to enable the AEC to verify that the wellbeing of animals is monitored and allow review and critical investigation of the cause(s) of and response to unexpected adverse events as a basis for future prevention strategies

Clause 2.5.12

Animal carers should ensure that records relating to health status and breeding performance include:

the source, care, supply, movement between locations and use of animals
details of diseases in the facility
the fertility, fecundity, morbidity and mortality rates of breeding colonies
and
the health status, genetic constitution and physical environment of the animals

Clause 2.5.13

We recommend that animal facility managers report regularly to the AEC on the status of the animal facilities, staff, education and other resource issues, and the wellbeing of animals in their care (e.g. through regular reports to AEC meetings).

Last reviewed: 31 Oct 2018
Last updated: 31 Oct 2018