Animals in Schools – application forms
Many activities using animals have blanket approval under the Animal Research Authority. For activities not blanket approved, approval from the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee (SACEC) must be sought.
Approval for particular activities
Animal welfare guidelines for teachers, sets out the responsibilities and requirements of NSW schools and teachers that use animals for educational purposes. Teachers are required to obtain written approval from the SACEC prior to commencement of any activities using animals for which approval is required.
A full list of approved activities and their corresponding categories can be viewed at Categories of activities.
Approval from the SACEC is required when the teacher wishes to:
- allow students to carry out any category 4 or 5 activity
- demonstrate a category 5 activity
- allow students to carry out any activity, using animals, that are not included in the list of approved activities
- demonstrate any activity, using animals, that are not included in the list of approved activities
- apply for a scientific licence for keeping a native animal species that is not one of the five species covered by the school sector scientific licence.
The specified approval form should be completed and submitted in the following situations:
- Students carrying out any category 4 or 5 activity: Application form 1
- A teacher demonstrating a category 5 activity: Application form 4.
- Students carrying out any activity, using animals, that is not included in the list of approved activities: Application form 1.
- A teacher demonstrating any activity, using animals, that is not included in the list of approved activities: Application form 4.
- Students carrying out a research project using animals, that involves any category 4 or 5 activity: Application form 2
- A teacher is notifying that they are keeping a native animal(s) that is one of the five species covered by the school sector scientific licence: Declaration form 6.
- Students carrying out a research project using animals, that involves an activity that is not included in the list of approved activities: Application form 2.
- A teacher is seeking a scientific licence for keeping a native animal that is not one of the five species covered by the school sector scientific licence. Application form 3
- A teacher housing production animals intensively, e.g. poultry in battery cages or sows in farrowing crates: Application form 5.