All research, teaching or testing that involves animals requires review and approval by the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC). The AWC normally meets monthly to review new protocols and major amendments for animal-based studies; a continuous intake and review process is used for minor amendments.
Protocol approvals
Protocol approvals are valid for one year, and it is the responsibility of the researcher to maintain ethics certification for the protocol for the duration of the research. Ongoing research must be renewed on an annual basis on or before the expiry date of the protocol ethics approval by submitting the renewal report or new protocol for review by the AWC.
Renewing a research protocol
A research protocol may be renewed through submission of a renewal report up to a maximum of 3 renewals, after which a new protocol is required. Access to grant funds is contingent on valid ethics certification being in place for the funded research.
Submission guidelines for Animal Welfare Protocols
For research involving animals, contact the Ethics Officer or the University Veterinarian