Applications to use animals, reports and forms

Teachers planning to use animals for a teaching activity under the science strand may be required to submit an application  and obtain approval from the Schools Animal Ethics Committee (SAEC), prior to commencing the activity. You must plan ahead as applications can only be considered at SAEC meetings that are usually held in Week 3 and Week 8 of each school term and there are cut-off dates for each meeting.  Click here to check the dates.

Not all activities require prior approval by the SAEC - Click here to see if approval is required.

Online Animal Ethics System

From February 2017 an online system was implemented for teachers to submit applications and principals to submit annual animal use reports electronically. This system is available to all schools in WA - public schools, Catholic schools and private independent schools. Click here for instructions on how to use the system.

CLICK HERE TO LOG-IN TO THE ANIMAL ETHICS SYSTEM

Important:

• Paper forms are no longer accepted for applications, activity completion reports or annual reports. 
• Activities must not commence until after approval is received as the SAEC is not permitted to approve activities after they have commenced.  Activities undertaken without approval are deemed "in breach" of the legislation and must be reported to the regulator.

Reporting Requirements

Schools must submit the following reports through the Online System:

• Activity Completion Report - submitted by teachers undertaking an approved activity (due within 14 days of the end of the activity). This report automatically feeds into the school's annual report making it easier for the principal to submit the annual report at the end of the year.
• Annual Report - submitted by principals - mandatory for all schools that have an approved activity (due by the end of November each year).  If you have not undertaken the approved activity you must still submit a NIL return.

Paper Forms still in use

If there is an illness, injury, death or unexpected incident (e.g. an animal is lost), a report must be forwarded to the SAEC as soon as possible along with your animal use and health records for the period immediately before the incident.  

• Illness/injury, death or unexpected incident report
• Animal use and health records (only use this if you don't have an activity specific form)
• Amendment form : Use this if you want to change anything in your approved application (e.g. supplier, weekend care, start and finish dates).

For more detailed information on why these forms and processes are required refer to the Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes - 8th Edition - Chapter 2.4 Responsibilities of investigators