Section D RESEARCH ANIMALS

List of policies

D1	Animals in research (adopted 01/08/08)
1.1	RSPCA Australia is opposed to the use of animals in experiments or procedures that cause pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm. This includes aspects such as fear, hunger, boredom, social isolation, and other forms of distress. Research animals must be treated with respect and not merely as objects or scientific tools.
1.2	All efforts must be undertaken to minimise pain and suffering in experimental animals. This includes appropriate housing, handling and the appropriate use of anaesthesia and analgesia.
1.3	RSPCA Australia strongly supports the humane research principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (known as the Three Rs):
	a Replacement of the use of animals with alternative techniques, such as cell, tissue and organ cultures, human volunteers, video and computer aids and modelling.     b Reduction in the numbers of animals used, such as through improved experimental design including the use of appropriate statistical methods, detailed literature reviews and increased sharing of research data.     c Refinement of procedures to improve the welfare of animals used in research, such as through the use of analgesics, avoiding significant adverse effects, and enhancement of housing conditions.
1.4	Where the number of animals used in research is reduced, this must not be achieved by compromising the welfare of individual research animals or result in invalid results.
1.5	RSPCA Australia is opposed to the use of animals in experiments that involve unnecessary repetition, scientifically trivial ends, or techniques to which satisfactory alternatives not using live animals have already been developed.
1.6	The results of all research involving animals should be made available to the wider scientific community through published journal articles, conference proceedings or complete data sets.
1.7	Regulation
1.7.1	RSPCA Australia advocates that all institutions where experiments are carried out must be registered under state government legislation. Individuals within the institution must be licensed to carry out experiments on animals and experienced in the techniques required for the proposed experiments.
1.7.2	All research and teaching using live animals must be carried out in accordance with the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes which requires proposals to be assessed and endorsed by an animal ethics committee. RSPCA Australia strongly supports the use of animal ethics committees with both scientific and independent members, to assess research proposals and monitor the care and use of animals used for research and teaching.
1.7.3	There must be freedom of access to the Minister responsible for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (or its equivalent) and RSPCA inspectors for regular inspection of breeding establishments and research institutions’ facilities.
1.7.4	RSPCA Australia advocates that any individual or institution licensed and registered to conduct experiments on animals and who fails to comply with the requirements of the regulations should automatically have their licence and/or registration cancelled.
1.8	Housing and husbandry
1.8.1	RSPCA Australia requires that where animals are kept for use in research, the housing, husbandry, care and treatment of the animals is of a high standard and does not compromise the welfare of those animals.
1.8.2	Housing conditions for research animals should be enhanced through the provision of appropriate environmental enrichment and sufficient quantity and quality of space to meet the animals’ physiological, behavioural and social needs.
1.8.3	All people involved in the care, handling or scientific use of live animals must be competent in the tasks they are responsible for, aware of the basic needs of the species involved, and able to recognize signs of pain, distress or illness in those species.
1.8.4	RSPCA Australia supports the development and regulation of minimum standards and guidelines for the housing and husbandry of animals used for research purposes.
1.9	Breeding and supply
1.9.1	RSPCA Australia does not support the use in laboratories of wild-caught animals where it is possible to use purpose-bred animals instead. Animals should be sourced from registered breeding establishments wherever possible.
1.9.2	RSPCA Australia is concerned that laboratory animals are sometimes bred in excess, in order to meet fluctuating demands for particular characteristics, leading to unnecessary wastage of animals’ lives. Researchers should aim to improve their forward planning and communication with breeders. Where possible, excess animals should be reassigned to other researchers.
D2	Genetic manipulation (adopted 01/08/08)
2.1	RSPCA Australia does not support any genetic manipulation of animals that may cause pain, injury or distress. This includes both suffering caused to the genetically modified animals themselves and to the animals used in their production.
2.2	Where the use of genetic manipulation or cloning offers the opportunity to improve animal welfare, the costs and benefits of the procedures involved in all steps in the development and breeding processes must be taken into consideration. This includes impacts on all animals directly involved in those processes and on any future progeny of those animals.
2.3	RSPCA Australia advocates that all cloning and genetic manipulation of animals should be conducted in accordance with the Australian Model Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes, whether the purpose of the procedure is scientific or not.
2.4	Patenting
	Patenting of a gene or genetically modified animal allows the patent holder to control the use of that gene or the creation, breeding and supply of the animal. RSPCA Australia does not support the patenting of animals as this objectification of them undermines their intrinsic worth. Furthermore, the financial incentives involved in patenting transgenic animals could potentially compromise proper consideration of welfare implications.
D3	Toxicology research and testing (adopted 01/08/08)
3.1	RSPCA Australia is opposed to the use of animals in the testing of non-essential substances such as cosmetics, tobacco, alcohol and household products.
3.2	Where formal toxicology trials involving live animals are required by law, attention should be paid to minimisation of the number of animals involved, through the appropriate use of statistics, and the minimisation of suffering in those animals. Detailed records on the signs of toxicosis should be included in any reports and publications.
	See also: E4 (Wildlife) Control methods
D4	Animals in education (adopted 01/08/08)
4.1	RSPCA Australia supports and encourages animal welfare education at all stages of formal education, in order to improve understanding of the principles of animal welfare, foster a positive attitude towards animals and help prevent acts of cruelty.
4.2	RSPCA Australia supports and encourages the use of alternatives to the use of animals, living or dead, in teaching wherever possible, both to introduce the concepts of reduction, refinement and replacement at an early stage, and to reduce the burden of animal suffering.
4.3	Preschool, primary and secondary education
4.3.1	RSPCA Australia does not support the keeping, breeding or use of living animals in pre-schools or schools other than agricultural high schools. In general there are insufficient facilities and trained staff to adequately protect the welfare of animals in this setting (including such aspects as housing, proper handling, veterinary care and humane killing)
4.3.2	RSPCA Australia regards the killing of animals for use in schools for dissection or other teaching purposes as unnecessary as many alternatives are available.
4.4	Tertiary education
4.4.1	The use of animals in interventional studies in tertiary education should be minimised. There should be a strong focus on the principles of reduction, refinement and replacement, and students must be able to opt-out of activities involving animals without risk of academic penalty. Wherever possible, teaching methods employing alternatives to the use of animals should be employed.
4.4.2	RSPCA Australia advocates that there should be a clearly defined animal welfare component in all vocational animal-related courses, science and veterinary degrees.
D5	Use of animals sheltered or owned by the RSPCA† (reviewed 09/10/07)
5.1	RSPCA shelters provide sanctuary for a diverse group of animals which may include: stray animals being held for the statutory period, seized animals awaiting legal processes, animals undergoing veterinary procedures, animals awaiting adoption and boarders. The role of the shelter is that of a guardian. The RSPCA has a duty of care to provide all animals throughout their stay with the highest standard of care and protection, while ensuring that, at all times, their dignity is maintained.
5.2	Animals sheltered or owned by the RSPCA must not be used for study or teaching activities unless all of the following specific circumstances apply:
	a The procedures undertaken for the activity will not have any measurable negative impact on the animals involved.     b The activity has the potential to benefit the species involved.     c The activity falls into one of the following categories:       teaching activities designed to further animal welfare and the objectives of the RSPCA (such as within RSPCA education centres); or     behavioural observations where no handling is required (such as observations carried out from outside a kennel); or     activities associated with routine veterinary or animal management procedures (such as weighing or measuring animals, walking them, conducting physical health examinations or behavioural assessments, or obtaining blood samples) where such activities or samples are already being undertaken.     d The activity has first been approved by an animal ethics committee as required by the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes.
5.3	Animals sheltered or owned by the RSPCA, whether dead or alive, must not be used as a resource for the supply of blood, organs or any other tissue.
	† These amendments have been adopted on the understanding that a document will be developed setting out the RSPCA’s position on the training of veterinary students using RSPCA animals. Until such time as this document is completed, the status quo applies, provided all activities meet the criteria set out in D5.

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