Animal research and teaching

Using animals to research and teaching on animals is regulated in the Northern Territory by Animal Welfare Act. In order to conduct animal research, the applicant must be licensed. A licence may be subject to conditions in relation to:

• use of animals in the teaching or research 
• welfare of the animals used in or bred for the teaching or research 
• facilities and equipment relevant to the use or breeding of animals in the course of the teaching or research 
• adoption of a specific code of practice.

Research is defined as an experiment, procedure, test or study in which an animal is used and includes subjecting an animal to surgical, medical, physiological, biological, chemical or physical treatment. A licence is not required for a person in charge of animals in a child-care establishment, pre-school or educational institution unless the animals are used or intended to be used for scientific teaching purposes.

To obtain a licence a person/organisation must apply to the Animal Welfare Authority (through the Animal Welfare Unit). A condition of all granted licences is that a licensee must establish and maintain an ethics committee, or enter into an arrangement with an established ethics committee, to approve and oversee the work.
There are a range of ethics committees operating in Australia.

A person employed or engaged by a licensee to conduct a teaching or research program involving animals requires a permit.  To obtain a permit a person must apply to the relevant ethics committee.

A moratorium until 1 August 2011 has been granted to allow people time to gain the necessary permits.

You may be prosecuted if you are conducting a teaching or research program from 2 August 2011 without a permit.