JCU Connect Ethics and Research Integrity Animal Welfare and Ethics Training and Assessment of Competence

Training and Assessment of Competence

In order to achieve high standards of animal care and welfare, compliance and research outcomes those working with animals must be competent, skilled and knowledgeable in the activities they undertake.

JCU offers training in the following areas:

This training covers the following topics:

Regulation of the scientific use of animals (Legislation and the Code) and how to ensure you're not breaking the law, including interstate and overseas requirements
Principles of the Code and the 3Rs
Animal welfare and ethics at JCU
The Animal Ethics Committee and the ethical review process
The application process, application forms, time frames, submission and outcomes of the review
How to complete application forms, common reasons for not being approved and tips for improving the chance of approval at first review
Managing an approved project, amendments, Unexpected Adverse Events, record keeping
Animal monitoring, humane endpoints, contingency plans
How the AEC monitors animal use, Annual Progress and Final Reports, facility inspections
Non-compliance and its consequences, complaints, appealing an AEC decision
AEC contacts

Training can be provided as a one-on-one, small groups or larger groups to suit your availability and will be designed to suit your area of work and type of animal use. Training will be provided through online modules in the near future.

The Code states:

1.29 People who care for and use animals must ensure that procedures are performed competently, and

(i) be competent for the procedure they perform, or
(ii) be under the direct supervision of a person who is competent to perform the procedure

All staff involved in animal work must receive the appropriate training and be supervised until they reach a level of competency where they can work unsupervised and this training and assessment of competency must be documented, with the records available to the AEC when reviewing AEC Applications.

This is achieved at JCU using SOPs and LearnJCU.

Training records are kept in LearnJCU and a statement of attainment can be provided to staff and used as evidence of their training and competency when applying to AECs of other institutions.

LearnJCU is a repository for AEC-approved SOPs, which can be accessed and used when applying for AEC approval (as outlined in Application Process) and also used in training. For access to the LearnJCU Animal Welfare Community, contact the Animal Welfare Officer and provide your JCU staff or student number (this is your "JC" number provided by the University).

All staff must receive a facility induction to the animal facilities they will be working in, before they will be given access to these facilities. Contact the Facility Manager of the animal facilities you will be working in to arrange an induction.