The following reporting requirements must be complied with for each approved protocols:

Annual Progress Report

The STV AEC Annual Progress Report is due on the anniversary of approval each year. A report should be submitted for all approved projects, regardless of whether any animals were used. A reminder will be sent to the Principal Investigator, approximately two weeks before the due date. Ethical approval may be withdrawn if a report is not received within 60 days of the due date.

            Annual Progress Report

Final Progress Report

The STV AEC Final Progress Report should be submitted as soon as the project is complete or has expired. This may mean that an Annual Progress Report and a Final Progress Report are submitted in the same year. If a Final Progress Report is submitted and the study complete, you will still need to include the study in the BAW Annual Return for that reporting year.

            Final Progress Report
 

Bureau of Animal Welfare Annual Animal Use Report

The compulsory completion of a 'Return of Animal Usage for Scientific Procedures' (as required by the Bureau of Animal Welfare) must also be submitted. 

Researchers will be contacted by the Research Governance Unit in December each year, with a request to complete the annual report from the Bureau of Animal Welfare. These forms be completed and returned by the deadline specified (February).

A report is to be completed for each protocol in which animals were used in the reporting year by completing the spreadsheet accordingly. If animals were not used for any protocols in the reporting year, then this spreadsheet is not required to be completed. Animals may have been used for a protocol, but not euthanized yet. These animals must be reported on the spreadsheet for this year and next year.

Please also complete the spreadsheet for each breeding colony you are responsible for. Please note: Animals used for breeding within an AEC-approved project are not considered to be part of a Specified Animal Breeding Colony (SABC) and must be reported as Project animals (quote GBNML #).

Researchers who fail to complete and return an annual report are in breach of the Code, and will have the approval for their project immediately withdrawn.

Review of Records – Monitoring

As a condition of approval, appropriate records specific to the experimental use of animals must be maintained. Records must be kept so that the experimental journey of one animal can be followed from start to finish.

To ensure this occurs researchers may be subject to random reviews of records. These reviews are regarded as a learning experience to assist and advise researchers on maintaining their records, applying for an AEC minor change or modification if the protocol changes and how to approach Adverse Incident Reporting.

Researchers who have been selected for a Research Records Review will be contacted by the AEC Secretary 1 week before the review to organise a mutually convenient time.  Up to three AEC members will then visit the department and review the research records. A report on the findings is submitted to the researcher, and the AEC. 
 

Animal Facility Monthly Reports

(For staff working within the Animal Facility)

Researchers and personnel responsible for animal facilities are required to submit a Monthly Report.

• As a holder of a Scientific Procedures Premises License issued by the Bureau of Animal Welfare we are obliged to keep monthly records of: 
• the number and species of specified animals on the first working day of each month
• the number and species of specified animals sold or delivered to other scientific establishments
• the number, species and date of specified animals destroyed without being used in scientific procedures

Please ensure the monthly report is sent to research.ethics@svhm.org.au

For Further information please contact Ms Sara Paradowski, Senior Administrative Officer - Animal Ethics Committee on 03 9288 3910 or email research.ethics@svhm.org.au