Research support

Monitoring animals

  1. Home
  2. Resources and support
  3. Ethics, integrity and compliance
  4. Animal Ethics

Monitoring measures are undertaken to assess, or to ensure the assessment of the wellbeing of animals in accordance with Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (the Animal Use Code) 8th edition, 2013 (updated 2021). The Animal Use Code directs various requirements relative to monitoring of animals, and their environment.

Monitoring occurs at different levels including that performed by investigators, animal facility staff, Animal Ethics Committees (AECs), the Office of Research Ethics and Integrity, and regulatory authorities.  

Investigator monitoring of animals being used for scientific purposes

Investigators must ensure at all stages of their project appropriate methods of monitoring are occurring, at a frequency that is sufficient to detect deviations from normal (expected) behaviour. Investigators are required to maintain records of this monitoring and assessment of animal wellbeing, and as required, take prompt action in accordance with intervention points and humane endpoints (as approved by the AEC). For adverse events not foreshadowed in the approved animal ethics - see Unexpected Adverse Events.

The Australian Guidelines to Promote the Wellbeing of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes provides a list of considerations to assist in the development of a monitoring strategy. This includes:

  • clinical signs or observations that will be used to assess an animal’s wellbeing or clinical condition as the project progresses
  • clinical signs or combination of clinical signs that will indicate that intervention (including euthanasia) is necessary
  • actions that will be taken if a problem is detected
  • frequency of monitoring
  • people who will conduct the monitoring, and their training
  • system for the recording of observations.

Score sheets

Score sheets help to guide the assessment of animal wellbeing. This is done through the establishment of standardised criteria, relevant to the model. Wherever possible this assessment criteria should be discrete and quantifiable (e.g. number of itch events per 2 minutes in the face of murine ulcerative dermatitis; measuring live body weights in the face of rodent experimentation; lameness grading in the face of equine lameness; number of rumen contractions over 1 minute in the face of systemic disease in cattle).

Score sheets are generally considered a requirement of any project that may involve the use of invasive techniques on animals (where pain and distress may occur). Under such circumstances the score sheet must:

  • be relevant to the species and activity,
  • establish clear intervention points, and humane endpoints,
  • be approved relative to the activity, by the relevant AEC,
  • be reviewed by the Veterinary Officer, if it deviates from established standards.

Guidelines for the Use and Application of a Score Sheet  (PDF, 200.7 KB)

An assortment of “standard” score sheets have been developed relative to species and activity. If you wish to amend one of these score sheets, so that it better suits your experimental model, you must consult with the Veterinary Officer. They will review the proposed changes and provide advice.

Laboratory animals:

Mice
     Rats

Other laboratory animals:

     Zebrafish
Production animals:

Monitoring by the AEC and Veterinary Officer, including Monitoring Zones

Under the Animal Care and Protection Act (2001) QLD via the Animal Use Code there is a requirement for all work involving animals to be monitored. There are several layers to the monitoring process.

  • Monitoring of animal houses/holding facilities and laboratories in the form of inspections undertaken by the AEC
  • Monitoring of individual projects/activities undertaken by the Veterinary Officer on behalf of the AEC, and/or a designated delegate(s)
  • Monitoring undertaken as an audit by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) as the regulatory body

UQ has established three ‘zones’ to facilitate monitoring.

Zone 1 

Zone 1 includes work being undertaken on UQ campuses and institutions and related institutions that are aligned with an UQ AEC. Monitoring is by the AEC and/or the Veterinary Officer as appropriate.

Zone 2

Zone 2 includes work being undertaken either by:

  • UQ staff and students in field locations not attached to a UQ campus
  • external organisations for which the UQ AECs are responsible. This encompasses an area that extends from the Gold Coast (south) to Gatton (west), Caboolture (north) and the Moreton Bay Research Station (east).

Individual teaching or research projects, animal holding areas and field trip work in this area is monitored under the direction of the AEC by the Veterinary Officer and usually consists of a small monitoring team with at least one external AEC member. 

Zone 3

Zone 3 includes work being undertaken by UQ staff and students at remote sites external to Zone 1 and 2 within Australia and overseas. Monitoring of these projects is undertaken in keeping with the relative impact on animal welfare, habitat and behaviour at the discretion of the AEC. Projects, holding facilities and field work are deemed to be low or high risk.

Low risk

At the early stage of a project, the research team provides monitoring information to the AEC for consideration, prior to AEC approval being granted for the work in the form of:

  • a report
  • photographic imaging
  • video imaging.

Medium to high risk

The Chief Investigator of the project is asked to provide an External Monitoring Nomination (PDF, 42.3 KB) to the relevant AEC for consideration. The nominated monitor should be aware of the project aims and have experience and appropriate qualifications but must be independent of the project. Contact the Animal Ethics for further details regarding nominations.