Animal welfare - schools
Direction and guidance on school responsibilities related to the use of animals for educational purposes, to ensure compliance with legislative requirements. Guidance about what schools need to do if an incident of animal cruelty occurs to animals used by the school or in a school-related activity.
Audience
All school staff, workplaces and activities conducted under the auspices of NSW public schools.
| Version | Date | Description of changes | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|
V01.0.0 |
30/01/2025 |
Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, new policy document with consolidated instructions previously provided in the Animal welfare - schools policy. |
Executive Director, Curriculum and Reform |
About the policy
NSW Department of Education staff must comply with the legislative requirements that govern the use of animals for educational purposes and this procedure.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Animal |
As defined in the NSW Animal Research Act 1985 is a vertebrate animal, and includes a mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and fish, but does not include a human being. |
Animal Research Authority |
Issued to schools at the beginning of Term 2 each year. The staff who use animals for the purposes of teaching and research must complete the authority, and the school must retain it. |
Animal Welfare Liaison Officer (AWLO) |
In primary schools, this must be the principal. In secondary schools, the principal appoints the AWLO. |
Approved activities |
Approved activities that may be carried out using animals in schools have been categorised according to their potential to cause pain or stress to the animals. |
Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes – educational justification |
States that animals may be used for teaching only when there are no suitable alternatives available for achieving the educational objectives. |
Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee |
Specifically set up to supervise the use of animals in government and non-government schools. |
Schools Animal Welfare Coordinator |
Provides expert and strategic advice to enable the work of the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee (SACEC) and ensures all legislative requirements are met for animal welfare in NSW schools. |
The Secretary or delegate:
- seeks accreditation every 3 years for NSW public schools as an animal research institution and is named the responsible officer.
Principals:
- ensure compliance with the advice on the Animals in Schools website, which specifies the roles and responsibilities of the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee, the department, school staff and students in relation to animal use
- ensure schools have an animal welfare liaison officer. In primary schools, this must be the principal
- retain authority and make inspections available by appropriate authorised people including Directors, Educational Leadership, inspectors from the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ Animal Welfare Unit and officers involved with the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee
- manage biosecurity risks in accordance with the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015.
Schools:
- retain the Animal Research Authority (PDF 794 KB) and make it available as necessary
- resolve any issues the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee identifies during routine visits
- arrange for the daily inspection (including weekends and school holidays) of their animals and for the responsible person to be able to access veterinary care at short notice
- maintain comprehensive records documenting acquisition, disposal, chemical use and all husbandry activities carried out with their animals
- ensure evacuation and emergency plans document information and procedures to ensure the welfare of animals is safeguarded in the event of flood, fire, drought, storm damage and vandalism
- report incidents of animal cruelty. Reporting procedures must include submitting a serious incident report and notifying the Schools Animal Welfare Coordinator about the incident. Schools must seek appropriate veterinary care for any injured animals.
Teachers:
- ensure the care and use of animals are in accordance with all relevant legislation and the advice, standards and guidelines provided on the Animals in Schools website
- have an appropriate depth of understanding of the physical, behavioural and social needs of any species used
- instruct students in their legal responsibilities and provide them with opportunities to explore the ethical and social issues involved in the use of animals
- provide instruction and ensure students have the appropriate competency to perform approved activities
- identify and incorporate methods that may replace, reduce or refine the use of animals in schools
- obtain written approval from the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee using the Animals in Schools – application forms before beginning any activities using animals for which approval is required
- maintain appropriate records as required by the Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes and the Animal Welfare Liaison Officer (refer to the activities/record keeping section for each species)
- supervise students closely and competently when they are engaged in tasks
- ensure that parents have provided an appropriate written undertaking to care adequately for any animals that students may take home
- ensure that appropriate monitoring of the animals occurs at all times (including during weekends and holidays)
- take immediate steps to alleviate any pain, distress or illness in any animal
- dispose of animals appropriately.
The Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee (SACEC):
- issues the Animal Research Authority on behalf of the department to each of its schools
- undergoes a review every 4 years
- makes mandatory, routine visits to a sample of schools throughout NSW each year to monitor their use of animals.
Animal Welfare Liaison Officers:
- promote awareness of the requirements of the NSW Animal Research Act 1985, other relevant legislation and the advice, standards and guidelines provided on the Animals in Schools website
- monitor school programs to ensure activities that use animals have SACEC approval
- ensure the school maintains appropriate records relating to the use of animals
- liaise with the SACEC, other teachers the principal has approved to use animals in the school, and the principal (in secondary schools)
- make submissions on behalf of teachers to the SACEC for approval to conduct activities outside the guidelines
- promote, among teachers and students involved in the use of animals, discussion of the ethical issues of using animals and the evolving community expectations about the use of animals in research and teaching.
What needs to be done
1. Plan for the use of animals for educational activities
Each year, the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee (SACEC) issues an Animal Research Authority, on behalf of the respective school sector, to schools in NSW that are accredited with the Department of Primary Industries.
All schools that use animals for any educational activity must complete the Animal Research Authority and ensure it is current each year. This authorises those staff who sign the authority, to use animals for the purposes of teaching and research, provided that the activities are in accordance with the provisions described on the Animals in Schools website.
Refer to the following websites for further information on:
- completing the authority, Animal Research Authority (PDF 794 KB)
- Approved activities that may be carried out using animals in schools. These have been categorised according to their potential to cause pain or stress to the animals.
Principals must:
- ensure compliance with the advice on the Animals in Schools website. The notes for each species contain standards and guidelines. The standards must be met by schools, in accordance with the requirements of the Animal Research Authority. The guidelines are the desirable practices to achieve desirable animal welfare outcomes.
- ensure the school has an animal welfare liaison officer (in primary schools this must be the principal)
- arrange for the daily inspection (including weekends and school holidays) of their animals and for the responsible person to be able to access veterinary care at short notice
Refer to the checklist for principals for a summary of these requirements.
The use of dogs to provide emotional support to students in NSW schools has increased significantly in recent years. Their use must be compliant with all Commonwealth, state, and school sector requirements. This relates to animal welfare, legal and financial responsibility, and health and safety.
Each school should undertake a risk assessment (for example, refer to the Safety Risk Assessment and Management Plan – Managing a school support dog (DOCX 138 KB) that includes the following:
- school sector requirements
- purpose of the dog in the school environment
- advice provided in these guidelines
- welfare of the dog in the case of an emergency.
Schools should use the support dog guidelines to ensure they comply with all relevant legislation, such as the Companion Animals Act (NSW), Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (NSW), and Animal Research Act (NSW).
The department holds the scientific licence on behalf of their schools, allowing staff to keep the following species in the classroom for educational purpose (provided animals are legitimately acquired from licensed captive sources):
- Blue-tongue Lizard
- Central/Inland Bearded Dragon
- Eastern Snake-necked Turtle
- Children’s Python
- Green Tree Frog
The school staff named on the Animal Research Authority (PDF 794 KB), issued annually, will be authorised to keep and use the animal species listed above for teaching and research purposes, provided the activities are in accordance with the provisions described on the Animals in Schools website in the notes for each species.
2. Provide and manage appropriate conditions for animals
Staff must comply with the legislative requirements that govern the use of animals for educational purposes as interpreted on the Animals in Schools website.
Schools must provide conditions and management appropriate to the behavioural and physical needs of any animals used for educational purposes.
Principals or their delegate:
- ensure evacuation and emergency plans document the procedures to ensure the welfare of animals is safeguarded in the event of flood, fire, drought, storm damage and vandalism
- designate staff to implement the daily inspection (including weekends and school holidays) of animals and ensure the responsible person can access veterinary care at short notice.
Teachers are responsible for assisting students to develop a respect for animals and to understand the ethical issues involved in the use of animals, wherever and whenever animals are encountered in school activities.
3. Respond to serious incidents involving animals
The Animals in Schools website provides guidance on responding to serious incidents involving animals.
When responding to incidents of animal cruelty, schools must:
- assess the immediate needs of the animal and have them attended to by the responsible teacher or other appropriately trained person (such as a veterinarian)
- assess students’ needs for counselling
- report incidents of animal cruelty by following the Incident notification and response procedures and notify the Animal Welfare Coordinator
- the department’s Safety and Security unit and the Animal Welfare Coordinator must be advised immediately and the police notified if an animal is injured or killed as a result of vandalism, outside animal attack or from a malicious act
- document in the animal care records, the date, identity of the animal(s) involved, nature of the incident and actions taken for each species.
4. Monitor animal wellbeing
The Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes requires that animal wellbeing is monitored by competent people at all stages and sites of animal care and use. The scope of day-to-day monitoring must be clearly outlined and communicated to all parties.
Principals must provide resources and support to ensure appropriate levels of monitoring for the school’s animals (for advice about ‘appropriate monitoring’, refer to Monitoring).
The Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee must carry out school inspections each year and record their outcomes.
Principals or their delegate:
- must resolve any issues the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee identifies during routine visits
- retain Animal Research Authority and make inspections available by appropriately authorised people including Director, Educational Leadership, inspectors from the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ Animal Welfare Unit and officers involved with the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee
- maintain comprehensive records documenting the acquisition, disposal, chemical use and all husbandry activities carried out with their animal/s
- must tag sheep, cattle and goats in accordance with the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS). All location movement must be logged on the NLIS database and be accompanied by the appropriate movement document
- ensure the sale of any livestock is in accordance with the Livestock Sales section in the Financial management (schools) procedures (staff only)
- identify pigs and log their movements in compliance with PigPass
- ensure all records for animals are recorded and accessible by the principal and all staff involved in the care of the animals.
Record-keeping requirements
Schools must:
- keep comprehensive records documenting the acquisition, disposal, chemical use and all husbandry activities carried out with their animal(s)
- document all serious incidents involving animals in the animal care records. Record the date, identity of the animal(s) involved, nature of the incident and actions taken for each species.
- retain the signed annual Animal Research Authority document (PDF 794 KB).
Mandatory tools and templates
- The Animals in Schools website is a mandatory tool to support the welfare of animals used for educational purposes.
- Animal Research Authority document (PDF 794 KB) must be completed each year by the staff who use animals for the purposes of teaching and research, signed by the principal and then retained by the school.
Supporting tools, resources and related information
- Safety Risk Assessment and Management Plan – Managing a school support dog (DOCX 138 KB)
- The checklist for principals summarises the compliance requirements.
- Schools can only carry out approved activities, in accordance with the Animal Research Authority.
- The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (NSW) applies to all people in NSW at all times and deals with the cruel and unconscionable treatment of all animals.
- The Animal Research Act 1985 (NSW), and the Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes, govern the use of animals for educational purposes.
- The Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes promotes the ethical, humane and responsible care and use of animals used for scientific purposes. The ethical framework and governing principles set out in the Code. The code provides guidance for investigators, teachers, institutions, animal ethics committees and all people involved in the care and use of animals for scientific purposes.
- The Biosecurity Act 2015 provides for the prevention, elimination, minimisation and management of biosecurity risks.
- The purpose of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) is to maintain a healthy, productive and resilient environment for the greatest wellbeing of the community, now and into the future, consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development.
- The purpose of the Companion Animals Act 1998 (NSW) is to provide for the effective and responsible care and management of companion animals.
Policy contact
The Executive Director, Curriculum and Reform monitors the implementation of these procedures, regularly reviews their contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates them as needed.